A seven year old boy from Arbroath who underwent a vital liver transplant is recovering in hospital.
Kenzy Oliver and his parents Nicky and Michelle travelled by air ambulance from Dundee to London last Friday after receiving word that a suitable replacement organ had been found.
Kenzy has been on a ventilator since the six hour surgery in the early hours of Saturday.
In the latest update to a supporters’ Facebook page, which is being followed by more than 600 people, his father reported that he expected Kenzy to be taken off the ventilator soon.
However, his parents are concerned about how his new liver has taken.
Nicky explained: “His test results came back with his bilirubin and AST were high which means his liver might be rejecting.
“Scans and x-rays were done. The scans were really good and we are still waiting on x-ray results.
“Bloods will be taken to see if they came down. If not then it’s a liver biopsy and possibly a change in his medication. Again time will tell.”
Kenzy has biliary atresia, which is when inflammation develops within the bile ducts around the time of birth.
The inflammation can occur in any of the bile ducts both inside and outside the liver and this leads to bile duct damage, reducing the flow of bile, which causes scarring of the liver.
Earlier in the year, a breathing problem was brought on by his condition and as a result Kenzy had to go on oxygen 24 hours a day and was placed as a high priority on the liver transplant list.
Nicky said his son had a pulmonary shunt — where air fails to supply part of the lungs. It is possible that Kenzy could be on oxygen for up to a year after the operation.
He added: “Kenzy is being kept sedated but is still fighting through it and wakening up.
“The shunting of his lungs was really bad (70% of his lungs) so will mean he is going to be on oxygen longer and possibly a higher amount to begin with — nothing we didn’t already know but each case is different so again only time will tell.”
The family has also thanked the Angus community for the messages of support they have received.
A number of people sending cards to Warddykes Primary pupil Kenzy this week and a fundraising page has been set up to raise money towards the family’s expenses while they are in London. It has so far raised more than £1,000.
Nicky added: “Thank you to everyone who has supported us, whether that has been with a donation, message or card.
“It’s helped while we have been down here.”
