Apple CEO's Liver Transplant Confirmed; "Excellent Prognosis"

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 24, 2009 - 9:51am.

Memphis, Tenn. - Apple (NASD: AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs is "now recovering well and has an excellent prognosis" after receiving a liver transplant, the Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute, which performed the procedure, said in a statement on its website. While the hospital did not disclose when the operation was performed, the Wall Street Journal, which was the first to report on the matter, said it was about two months ago.

"[Jobs] received a liver transplant because he was the patient with the highest MELD score (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) of his blood type and, therefore, the sickest patient on the waiting list at the time a donor organ became available," the hospital added.

Jobs announced in January that he would take a medical leave of absence from Apple, and expected to return to work at the end of June.

Reuters reported that Jobs was seen leaving Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. over the weekend, and also noted that 70% of liver transplant patients are still alive three years after the procedure, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/kt33p (Hospital statement)

http://snipurl.com/kt3rn (Reuters)

http://snipurl.com/kt37i (DMW previous coverage)