A Death Retold: Jesica Santillan, the Bungled Transplant, and Paradoxes of Medical Citizenship (Studies in Social Medicine)

In February 2003, an undocumented immigrant teen from Mexico lay dying in a prominent American hospital due to a stunning medical oversight--she had received a heart-lung transplantation of the wrong blood type. In the following weeks, Jesica Santillan's tragedy became a portal into the complexities of American medicine, prompting contentious debate about new patterns and old problems in immigration, the hidden epidemic of medical error, the lines separating transplant "haves" from "have-nots," the right to sue, and the challenges posed by "foreigners" crossing borders for medical care. This volume draws together experts in history, sociology, medical ethics, communication and immigration studies, transplant surgery, anthropology, and health law to understand the dramatic events, the major players, and the core issues at stake. Contributors view the Santillan story as a morality tale: about the conflicting values underpinning American health care; about the politics of transplant medicine; about how a nation debates deservedness, justice, and second chances; and about the global dilemmas of medical tourism and citizenship. Contributors: Charles Bosk, University of Pennsylvania Leo R. Chavez, University of California, Irvine Richard Cook, University of Chicago Thomas Diflo, New York University Medical Center Jason Eberl, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Jed Adam Gross, Yale University Jacklyn Habib, American Association of Retired Persons Tyler R. Harrison, Purdue University Beatrix Hoffman, Northern Illinois University Nancy M. P. King, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Barron Lerner, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Susan E. Lederer, Yale University Julie Livingston, Rutgers University Eric M. Meslin, Indiana University School of Medicine and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Susan E. Morgan, Purdue University Nancy Scheper-Hughes, University of California, Berkeley Rosamond Rhodes, Mount Sinai School of Medicine and The Graduate Center, City University of New York Carolyn Rouse, Princeton University Karen Salmon, New England School of Law Lesley Sharp, Barnard and Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Lisa Volk Chewning, Rutgers University Keith Wailoo, Rutgers University

In February 2003, an undocumented immigrant teen from Mexico lay dying in a prominent American hospital due to a stunning medical oversight—she had received a heart-lung transplantation of the wrong blood type. In the following weeks, Jesica Santillan's tragedy became a portal into the complexities of American medicine, prompting contentious debate about new patterns and old problems in immigration, the hidden epidemic of medical error, the lines separating transplant "haves" from "have-nots," the right to sue, and the challenges posed by "foreigners" crossing borders for medical care. This volume draws together experts in history, sociology, medical ethics, communication and immigration studies, transplant surgery, anthropology, and health law to understand the dramatic events, the major players, and the core issues at stake.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Gene Edward Ridolfi, RN, BA(Washington University School of Medicine)
Description:This book discusses the events surrounding the bungled heart-lung transplant for a 17-year-old girl who initially received organs of the wrong blood type at Duke University Medical Center in 2003. It approaches the event from the perspective of the exporting Organ Procurement Organization's (OPO) process, the importing OPO, and the staff and surgeons at the accepting transplant center. The book also discusses the decisions surrounding the second transplant the patient underwent two weeks later. The patient died after the second operation.
Purpose:The purpose is to understand the sequence of events surrounding the bungled transplant and the retransplant. It also raises questions about organ allocation, retransplant criteria, and, because the girl was smuggled illegally into the U.S. to get treatment, illegal aliens. These are all worthy objectives. The book raises many questions about organ availability and allocation and recipient selection.
Audience:It is intended primarily for clinical staff associated with the allocation of organs and transplant centers as well as screeners for recipient candidacy and acceptors of organs. The book also would be of interest to students, practitioners, and clinicians with a focus on ethics.
Features:This book covers all of the issues concerning the transplant, from the allocation and recipient process to the ethical issues surrounding the questions of the patient's citizenship and retransplantation. It also highlights the impact of the U.S. press, a most interesting discussion. One shortcoming of the book is in the explanation of organ allocation, specifically match runs, open ended offer, etc.
Assessment:This is a very interesting read. It made me think about the many other issues that surround and impact the theater of organ donation and transplantation.

In February 2003, a teen illegal alien from Mexico lay dying in a prominent American hospital due to a stunning medical oversightshe had received a heart-lung transplantation of the wrong blood type. In the following weeks, Jesica Santillan's tragedy became a portal into the complexities of American medicine, prompting contentious debate about new patterns and old problems in immigration, the hidden epidemic of medical error, the lines separating transplant "haves" from "have-nots," the right to sue, and the challenges posed by "foreigners" crossing borders for medical care. This volume draws together experts in history, sociology, medical ethics, communication and immigration studies, transplant surgery, anthropology, and health law to understand the dramatic events, the major players, and the core issues at stake. Contributors view the Santillan story as a morality tale: about the conflicting values underpinning American health care; about the politics of transplant medicine; about how a nation debates deservedness, justice, and second chances; and about the global dilemmas of medical tourism and citizenship