Man Who Survived Rare Autoimmune Disorder at Jackson Returns for Life-Saving Double-Lung Transplant at Miami Transplant Institute

By: Krysten Brenlla

Oscar Escobar knows what it means to defy life-threatening conditions. In 1982, the now 64-year-old left Colombia on a medical visa to work with the late Dr. William Harrington at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Together, they battled Escobar’s thrombocytopenia, a rare autoimmune disorder where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys its own platelets.

After several clinical trials and treatments, Escobar went into remission in 1990, thanks to Jackson’s hematology teams.

Despite many healthy years, his lungs started to deteriorate.

“I started to feel a dry cough as far back as 2015. By 2019, I felt shortness of breath,” Escobar said. “I was a field engineer, and I was always working outside. Every time I would do anything for work, I felt tired and faint, which was not normal for me.”

Escobar’s symptoms were not improving, and in 2020, he decided to see his primary care doctor for help. After numerous tests, a lung X-Ray showed that Escobar was suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease that causes the lung tissue to thicken and scar.

“I remember my doctor telling me that this would be a new journey for me,” he said. “The disease has no cure or treatment – the best option was a lung transplant.”

After years of keeping the disease at bay, the Naples native reached a point where he needed a specialized team of pulmonologists and lung experts to help with his condition. In 2023, he decided to return to Jackson– this time, he sought help from the Miami Transplant Institute (MTI), an affiliation between Jackson Health System and UHealth – University of Miami Health System.

“Luckily, when I first arrived to MTI, I was in good condition compared to many other patients,” Escobar said. “The disease was getting worse, but I kept on top of my pulmonary rehabilitation exercises for years to maintain my strength for a potential lung transplant.”

Escobar worked with the team for months to maintain his lung function. However, by 2024, his need for supplemental oxygen drastically increased. After an evaluation, a decision was made – it was time for a lung transplant.

“Our team conducted a comprehensive assessment of his medical history to ensure he was stable for a possible lung transplant,” said Juan Fernandez, MD, a transplant pulmonologist and intensivist at The Lung Center at Jackson “We worked together to stabilize his condition, decreasing his risk for complications during surgery.”

In July 2024, Escobar was listed for a double-lung transplant. After two months and four different attempts at procuring lungs for him, a match was found.

On September 11, 2024, Escobar underwent a successful double-lung transplant at Jackson Memorial, led by Mauricio Pipkin, MD, surgical director of The Lung Center. After surgery, he spent a few weeks at the hospital recovering before he was ready to go home.

“Oscar did extremely well after surgery. He was off oxygen just a couple of days after his transplant and was walking the unit – things were very fast in his recovery, and he was able to go home feeling well,” Dr. Pipkin said. “We’re seeing that he’s enjoying every day with his new life.”

“Despite his medical difficulties, our team was able to pull through with a successful transplant and a quick recovery, with an almost immediate improvement in his condition,” Dr. Pipkin added. “That makes his case special.”

Today, Escobar is back at home with his family, and feels better than ever. He continues to monitor his lung health with his team of pulmonologists at The Lung Center, and looks forward to seeing his children grow.

“We had another miracle performed at Jackson Memorial Hospital in September,” he said. “There’s no way to express the gratitude that I have for the teams at Jackson and MTI. They do everything with passion to give people another opportunity at life.”