Elise Takahama (@elisetakahama) tells the inside story of a pioneering heart-liver transplant at UW Medicine, in which doctors saved the life of a heart-failure patient by replacing not only her heart, but also her healthy liver. By replacing her liver, the doctors overcame a risk of rejection of her new heart by her overly sensitized immune system. For The Seattle Times, Takahama explains the complex procedure and how the doctors came to realize it was the best path forward, and she tells the story of the young mother whose life it saved. Photo: Jennifer Buchanan / The Seattle Times
