UChicago Medicine Performs Rare Quadruple Organ Transplant; UNOS Calls It First In Illinois, Sixth In U.S.

Jasmine Jones Undergoes Illinois’ First Quadruple Transplant Of Lungs, liver And kidney

USA: A 28-year-old Chicago woman with lifelong cystic fibrosis has received a rare quadruple organ transplantation at the University of Chicago Medicine, restoring lung, liver and kidney function after her body began failing more than a year ago. The operation, performed Jan. 5–6, lasted about 36 hours and involved multiple surgical teams coordinating back-to-back procedures.

Surgeons report the case combined a double-lung transplant with simultaneous liver and kidney transplants — a sequence that required precise timing and collaboration. Dr. Pablo Sanchez led the lung transplant portion while Dr. Ralph Bath performed the liver and kidney procedures as part of the multidisciplinary team. United Network for Organ Sharing says it is the first such quadruple transplant in Illinois and only the sixth reported in the United States.

Jones, who lives in Calumet Heights, had been losing energy and experiencing severe symptoms before being listed for transplant. After six weeks of recovery she says she feels dramatically different and is planning to return to work as a daycare assistant. She and her care team have publicly expressed deep gratitude to the organ donor and that family whose decision enabled the procurement that made the transplantation possible.

Medical teams describe the operation as an extraordinary logistical and clinical achievement that underscores transplantation’s life-restoring potential for complex, multi-organ failure. The case highlights advances in coordination among surgical specialties and the critical role of organ donation in giving patients a second chance at daily life.

Video originally published on 2026-05-20 18:46:43