First Kidney Swap Transplant in AP

A first-ever “swap kidney transplant’ has taken place in Andhra Pradesh involving 50-year-old M.M. Baig and 44-year-old Devidas. The two patients were suffering from end-stage renal disease and needed kidney transplants. The problem arose when it was found that their wives were not matching donors for their husbands. Baig’s wife Ayesha’s blood group was ‘A positive’, while his was ‘B positive’ and Devidas’ blood group was ‘A positive’ while that of his wife Nirmala ‘B positive’.

Doctors at the nephrology department of the Care hospital in Hyderabad found that a swap transplant was advisable here where Devidas’ wife donated her kidney to Bai and Baig’s wife donated her kidney to Devidas.

Dr. Vikranth Reddy, head of department, Nephrology, said that there was an acute need to conduct more kidney transplant surgeries in the country as four to five lakh patients reaches end-stage failure. He added that swap transplants could help overcome the donor matching issues and also help reduce organ shortages.

Source-Medindia