AIIMS-Delhi Performs Groundbreaking Dual Kidney Transplant Surgery
- AIIMS-Delhi achieves a medical milestone with the first-ever dual kidney transplant surgery on a dialysis patient.
- Led by Dr. Asuri Krishna, the surgery involved transplanting kidneys from a 78-year-old donor to a 51-year-old recipient.
Surgeons at AIIMS-Delhi achieved a medical milestone by performing a dual kidney transplant on a patient undergoing dialysis for the first time. The successful operation took place on December 22, involving a 51-year-old woman patient. Collaborating with the Organ Retrieval Banking Organisation (ORBO), AIIMS's department of surgical disciplines and department of nephrology spearheaded the surgery. Dr. Asuri Krishna, an additional professor of surgery at the hospital, led the surgical team. The surgery marks a significant advancement in medical science, addressing the critical need for organ transplants in India.
The donor, a 78-year-old woman, was admitted to AIIMS Trauma Centre following a severe head injury from a fall on December 19. Tragically, she was declared brain dead, and her family generously consented to organ donation. The recipient had both kidneys failed, necessitating dialysis. During the transplant, the donor's two kidneys were transplanted heterotopically, without removing the recipient's own kidneys, resulting in her having four kidneys.
Dr. Krishna noted the successful outcome of the surgery, with the recipient now off haemodialysis and her transplanted kidneys functioning normally. Despite requiring closer monitoring, the patient's recovery has been promising. The decision to utilize both kidneys of the donor stemmed from her advanced age, which would have rendered a single kidney insufficient for a dialysis patient.
Overcoming challenges in surgical technique, the transplant team successfully positioned both kidneys on the recipient's right side, ensuring optimal functionality post-surgery. Dr. Krishna emphasized the significance of this unique surgical approach in addressing the demand-supply gap for organs in India, particularly by utilizing organs from elderly donors, which would typically be rejected. This groundbreaking surgery exemplifies the innovative use of available resources to meet the critical need for organ transplants in the country.
