[Hinews] MANILA, Philippines — A surgical team from Seoul’s Asan Medical Center performed the first living-donor liver transplant at Makati Medical Center in the Philippines on June 18, marking a historic milestone for the 56-year-old institution. The procedure saved the life of Franz Arren Babaos Reyes, 23, who was critically ill with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a rare and severe liver disease. His mother, the donor, underwent the operation despite a complex medical history involving three prior abdominal surgeries due to a gunshot wound. Both are now recovering.

The surgery stemmed from a partnership formalized in 2023 through a memorandum of understanding between Asan Medical Center and Makati Medical Center to bolster the Philippine hospital’s liver transplant expertise. Last year, Asan Medical Center trained nine Makati medical professionals in Seoul and sent Dr. Ki-Hun Kim, a prominent transplant surgeon, to conduct seminars in the Philippines.

This operation is a pivotal step toward enabling Makati Medical Center to perform liver transplants independently. Asan Medical Center will continue to support the Philippine hospital with training and equipment to help local surgeons master these complex procedures.

The Asan Medical Center team, including Drs. Ki-Hun Kim, Chul-Soo Ahn, and Sang-Hoon Kim (transplant and hepatobiliary surgery), Drs. Jun-Gol Song and Hye-Mi Kwon (anesthesiology), and the surgical nursing team, joined Makati Medical Center staff for a commemorative photo outside the operating room after the procedure. (Photo provided by Asan Medical Center)
The Asan Medical Center team, including Drs. Ki-Hun Kim, Chul-Soo Ahn, and Sang-Hoon Kim (transplant and hepatobiliary surgery), Drs. Jun-Gol Song and Hye-Mi Kwon (anesthesiology), and the surgical nursing team, joined Makati Medical Center staff for a commemorative photo outside the operating room after the procedure. (Photo provided by Asan Medical Center)

“The patient’s condition and the donor’s surgical history posed significant challenges, but our team’s collaboration with local staff yielded a remarkable outcome,” said Dr. Ki-Hun Kim, professor of transplant and hepatobiliary surgery at Asan Medical Center. “We hope this international effort will save more lives.”

Asan Medical Center, a global leader in transplant surgery, has completed over 7,500 living-donor liver transplants and more than 9,000 liver transplants overall, solidifying its status as a center for advanced medical care.

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