KMCH performs complex kidney transplantation

KMCH successfully performed kidney transplantation in a young boy, who received a kidney from his maternal uncle and both of them were found to have a condition called haemophilia. This is the first time in the world that both the donor and the recipient with haemophilia underwent safe and successful kidney donation and transplantation respectively. 

Kiran (name changed), a 12-year-old boy was presented to nephrologist Dr. V. Mangalakumar 5 months ago with advanced kidney failure, developed due to a genetic condition called Alport’s syndrome. Dr. Mangalakumar advised kidney transplantation for him. His maternal uncle came forward to donate one of his kidneys to Kiran.

However during the evaluation it was found that both the donor and the recipient were having another genetic condition called Haemophilia, a blood disorder that’s due to deficiency of a clotting protein. Surgery in these cases will be very risky as it carries a high risk of uncontrollable bleeding. So far nowhere in the world kidney transplantation surgery was done to a recipient with Haemophilia from a donor who also has Haemophilia as these cases are considered to have a very high risk for bleeding after surgery.

In Haemophilia cases replacing the missing protein will restore the clotting mechanism temporarily and stop the bleeding. This should be continued for at least 10 days after the surgery to minimise late bleeding complications. We sought the expertise of Dr. Rama Prabhahari, consultant haematologist, who suggested that replacing the missing clotting protein and plan for surgery.

Dr. Mangalakumar and his team of urologists Dr. Barani Kumar, Dr. Kuppurajan and vascular surgeon Dr. Bala Sundaram performed the complex kidney transplantation. Both the donor surgery and the recipient surgery went well without any complications. The donor was discharged 5 days after the surgery and Kiran went home 10 days after the surgery. Now Kiran has normal kidney function and enjoying a healthy life.

Congratulating the doctors on this occasion, Dr. Nalla G. Palaniswami, Chairman, KMCH said that organ transplantation is a complex surgical procedure that requires highest level of expertise, care and dedication.