MONTEZUMA, Iowa — An Iowa woman who has lived with cystic fibrosis since childhood has been given a second chance at life after a rare, complex operation at Northwestern Medicine became one of only a handful of quadruple-organ transplants performed in the United States.
Elizabeth Wehrle, 36, of Montezuma, received a second double-lung transplant, plus a liver and kidney, in an eight-hour procedure announced by Northwestern Medicine. Doctors say this is the first reported U.S. case in which the lungs were a retransplant.
From chronic illness to complex surgery
Wehrle was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age 11. She previously underwent a double-lung transplant in 2017. In January 2026, she developed a severe, life-threatening form of chronic rejection of that transplant and later was found to have organ failure caused by complications of cystic fibrosis, necessitating replacement of multiple organs.
"By the time Wehrle's medical team in Iowa referred her to Northwestern Medicine, she had progressive respiratory failure and required both a ventilator and life support machine,"
The news release said physicians determined she needed a second double-lung transplant as well as a liver and kidney. The multidisciplinary operation lasted about eight hours. Wehrle is expected to return home on July 17 to reunite with her 11-year-old son.
What the procedure means locally and beyond
Quadruple-organ transplants are extremely uncommon. Northwestern Medicine described this as one of seven such operations performed in the U.S., and the center noted this is the first to involve retransplanted lungs. The case highlights both advances in transplant medicine and the particular vulnerabilities of people living with cystic fibrosis as they age and face long-term complications.
- Patient: Elizabeth Wehrle, 36, Montezuma
- Procedure: Second double-lung transplant, liver transplant, kidney transplant
- Operation time: Eight hours
- Previous transplant: Double-lung transplant in 2017
- Return home: Planned July 17
| Organ | Note |
|---|---|
| Double lungs | Second transplant (retransplant) |
| Liver | Transplanted due to CF-related organ failure |
| Kidney | Transplanted due to CF-related organ failure |
Northwestern Medicine's surgical team included physicians credited in the release, reflecting the collaborative nature of major transplant operations. The case will likely be of interest to transplant programs, patients with cystic fibrosis, and families navigating long-term post-transplant care across Iowa and the Midwest.
For local readers, the story underlines two ongoing realities: the importance of advanced medical centers for complex referrals, and the continuing need for organ donors. Medical centers nationwide track outcomes from multi-organ transplants to refine patient selection and perioperative care; rare cases such as this add to a small but important body of knowledge about how to approach retransplantation and multi-organ failure.
Wehrle's care team says she is on the path to recovery and will reunite with family in Montezuma. The case remains a reminder of both the fragility and resilience of patients living with chronic genetic conditions and the lengths modern medicine can go to restore health.
