A Father’s Birthday Gift: Saving His Son Through Living Liver Donation

Benjamin Carstens was born with neonatal-onset ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency, a rare genetic disorder that prevents the body from clearing ammonia from the blood. Left untreated, the condition can cause irreversible organ damage. For the Carstens family, the path to recovery meant transferring their son to the Pediatric Liver Transplant Program at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone.

After medical evaluations confirmed Brian Carstens as a perfect donor match, surgeons performed a minimally invasive robotic procedure to remove a segment of his liver. The transplant, led by Dr. Adam Griesemer and Dr. Bernardo Daniel Campos, took place on August 18, 2025. Because the liver possesses unique regenerative properties, both father and son were able to recover, with Benjamin finally returning home last December. As the family approaches the first anniversary of the surgery, they are preparing to celebrate both the medical success and the parents' upcoming wedding, marking a shift from months of hospital uncertainty to a stable life at home.