Chinese doctors have successfully transplanted three fifths of a woman's liver into her 12-year-old daughter's body.

The operations began at 8:30 Monday morning at the No. 1 Clinical Hospital attached to Beijing University and were finished at around 3:00 Tuesday morning.

Both the mother, Men Deshuang, a farmer from Gu'an County of Hebei Province neighboring Beijing, and the daughter, Chen Huanhuan, have recovered consciousness, said hospital sources.

Chen had congenital liver cirrhosis and had suffered repeated hemorrhagic shock in the past three years. Learning that a liver transplant was the only way to cure the disease, Men Deshuang decided to donate most of her liver to save her daughter's life.

The operations were performed by Professor Wan Yuanlian and Professor Wu Wenhan, with advice from a group of 18 liver transplant specialists from Taiwan.

Liver transplants between relatives have gradually been viewed as a way to cure serious liver disease.

(Xinhua News Agency November 13, 2001)