A 34-year-old Missouri man was not too long ago saved by surgeons at Northwestern Drugs in Chicago who used breast implants to efficiently carry out a double-lung transplant.
Davey Bauer, 34, whose nickname is now “Double D Davey,” began smoking cigarettes when he was 21 years previous, and usually smoked a pack of cigarettes a day.
Bauer, who enjoys staying lively by snowboarding, skateboarding and {golfing}, mentioned that he switched to vaping in 2014, hoping for a “more healthy different.”
“Vaping felt higher, and I assumed it was the more healthy different, however in all honesty, I discovered it extra addicting than cigarettes,” Bauer mentioned.
Davey Bauer in November 2023 following the surgical procedure. (Northwestern Drugs)
Regardless of switching to vaping, Bauer turn out to be extraordinarily sick in Could and was rushed to the emergency room.
“I felt just a little wanting breath, was coughing up quite a lot of secretions. However aside from that, I imply, I felt fairly regular till the weekend, and that was identical to I did not have any power,” Bauer mentioned in a video launched by Northwestern Drugs. “Principally, Suzanne introduced me into the E.R. and I do not bear in mind a lot after that.”
Davey Bauer and his girlfriend, Susan Gore, throughout his restoration at Northwestern Drugs in July 2023. (Northwestern Drugs)
Dr. Rade Tomic, pulmonologist and medical director of the Northwestern Drugs Canning Thoracic Institute Lung Transplant Program, mentioned that Bauer’s lungs have been so contaminated that they “began to liquefy.”
“Davey’s lungs have been so closely contaminated that they began to liquefy. For those who checked out his X-ray, there was nothing left — the lungs have been utterly full of puss,” Dr. Tomic mentioned.
ASK A DOC: ‘HOW CAN I PREVENT HIGH CHOLESTEROL?’
Dr. Ankit Bharat, chief of thoracic surgical procedure at Northwestern, mentioned that surgeon’s knew that Bauer wanted a double lung transplant.
“It was very clear to me that he wanted a double lung transplant, however it was additionally very clear that he wouldn’t survive that transplant,” Dr. Bharat mentioned. “And the one approach ahead there was to by some means do away with these lungs, as a result of as soon as the lungs get so illness and broken, you can’t clear them.”
The breast implant utilized in Davey Bauer’s surgical procedure. (Northwestern Drugs)
Medical doctors used breast implants to maintain Davey Bauer’s coronary heart within the middle of his chest. (Northwestern Drugs)
In Could, Northwestern Drugs Canning Thoracic Institute surgeons eliminated Bauer’s contaminated lungs, created a man-made lung to maintain him alive, positioned DD breast implants inside his chest cavity to maintain the center in place.
As soon as the contaminated lungs have been eliminated Could 26, Bauer’s physique instantly began clearing the an infection.
YOUR DIABETES RISK MAY DOUBLE IF YOU EAT THIS FOOD TWICE A WEEK, SAY HARVARD RESEARCHERS
Surgeons additionally listed Bauer for a double-lung transplant and surgeons discovered a match inside 24 hours.
“Nonetheless to today, I can’t imagine Davey lived with none lungs. He was respiration, blood pumping with out lungs,” Bauer’s girlfriend, Susan Gore, mentioned. “Whereas we waited inside his hospital room at Northwestern, I might take a breath in and say, ‘one breath for me and one for Davey.’ It’s exhausting to wrap my thoughts round it, and I’m nonetheless in awe that Davey was ready to do that — it really reveals his energy.”
Davey Bauer holding up a shirt along with his new nickname, DD Davey. (Northwestern Drugs)
Dr. Bharat mentioned that he believes that this new know-how will “open quite a lot of doorways” for sufferers who’ve “no different choices.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“Davey’s case is outstanding as a result of it reveals that we are able to hold sufferers alive after eradicating their lungs by new know-how, which might be transformative for a lot of critically sick sufferers,” Dr. Bharat mentioned in a press launch. “With this new strategy that we’ve developed, many sufferers who get to the purpose of needing a lung transplant — however their broken lungs are making them too sick to get one — can now doubtlessly get transplanted. I believe it’s going to open quite a lot of doorways for a lot of sufferers who haven’t any different choices.”
Members of Davey’s lung transplant workforce. (Northwestern Drugs)
Bauer mentioned that he’s grateful to be alive and mentioned that if he might return in time, he would have by no means began smoking or vaping.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“I’m so grateful to be alive and know I wouldn’t be right here in the present day with out the assist of my girlfriend, household, associates and my Northwestern Drugs transplant workforce who by no means gave up on me,” Bauer mentioned. “Whereas we don’t have definitive methods of proving my years of vaping induced my medical situation, docs do know for a undeniable fact that vaping causes lung injury.
“If I might return in time, I by no means would have picked up a cigarette or vape pen, and I hope my story will help encourage others to stop, as a result of I wouldn’t want this troublesome journey on anybody.”
Discussion about this post