Home / Health / Intestinal Transplant Saves Life After Devastating Crash
Intestinal Transplant Saves Life After Devastating Crash
17 Jan
Summary
- A car crash left Lacy Boyd with severe intestinal injuries and only 35 inches of small intestine.
- Boyd required 12 hours of daily IV nutrition due to her inability to process food.
- An intestinal transplant at Cleveland Clinic offered Boyd a new chance at a normal life.
On March 19, 2024, Lacy Boyd's family road trip to the Grand Canyon took a terrifying turn when their car hit black ice, resulting in a head-on collision. The crash inflicted severe injuries on Boyd, including extensive damage to her intestines due to a too-tight seatbelt, leaving her with just 35 inches of her small intestine. This resulted in a diagnosis of short bowel syndrome and a dependence on 12 hours of daily IV nutrition.
After a month in the hospital and a year and a half of struggling with her condition, Boyd pursued a potential solution suggested by a surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic. In November 2024, she self-referred and was evaluated by Dr. Masato Fujiki, who proposed an intestinal transplant—a rare and complex procedure with a high threshold for recommendation. Despite the risks, Boyd pursued the transplant.
