Sarah Murnaghan Gets New Lungs [VIDEO]

A 10-year-old girl ailing with cystic fibrosis is recovering from a transplant of adult lungs made available to her by a judge's controversial ruling that expanded her options for lifesaving surgery.

Sharon Ruddock says her niece, Sarah Murnaghan is settling into the ICU after undergoing yesterday's successful six-hour surgery at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. A hospital spokeswoman says the lungs came from an adult donor.

Sarah's health was fading when U.S. District Judge Michael Baylson in Philadelphia ruled June 5 that Sarah and 11-year-old Javier Acosta of New York City should be eligible for adult lungs.

Critics warn there could be a downside to having judges intervene in the organ transplant system's allocation policy. Lung transplants are difficult procedures and some say child patients tend to have more trouble with them than adults.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved)