Live liver donor patient due home

Stephen Lomas and his son David were smiling after the operation

The first adult NHS patient to receive a liver transplant from a living donor is due to leave hospital in a few days.

Stephen Lomas was given 60% of his 20-year-old son David's liver during an eight-hour operation at St James's Hospital in Leeds.

Two pairs of surgeons worked simultaneously in separate theatres during the operation.

It is hoped the technique which benefited Mr Lomas, 51, of Ulverston, Cumbria, can help cut transplant lists.

Mr Lomas has made "excellent progress" since receiving the donation from his son, who has already been discharged from hospital following the operation on 21 June.

I'm just relieved that I've been able to help my dad David Lomas, donor

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said the operation was the first of its kind from adult to adult in the NHS and could "hold the key" to saving hundreds of lives a year.

NHS liver transplants usually rely on organs becoming available after a donor has died.

Consultant hepatologist Dr Charlie Milson said one-in-five liver transplant patients currently died while on the waiting list.

"[But] the liver has two important features that make living-related donation possible - it is much larger than we need and it can regenerate within weeks if part of it is removed," said Dr Milson.

The live donor liver transplant took eight hours

"In this procedure we remove part of the liver of a healthy donor and transplant it into a patient with liver failure.

"The remaining liver in the donor will re-grow within weeks to almost its normal size.

"This development means many... lives will be saved. It really is a massive leap forward."

Live donor liver transplantation has been carried out in other countries for more than 15 years.

David said: "I'm just relieved that I've been able to help my dad."

Father Stephen added: "He's a top man, a top man."