Bengaluru-based hospital performs pediatric kidney transplant through donor swap between two families

Bengaluru's Aster CMI Hospital has performed the first paediatric ABO-incompatible kidney transplant in India using a donor swap between two families. Both patients had relatives willing to donate, but their blood groups were incompatible for direct transplants. The hospital employed the Alliance for Paired Donation software to identify compatible donors from other families, allowing for an exchange of recipients.

This innovative kidney-paired donation (KPD) technique significantly reduces the risk of complications and costs compared to traditional methods. The complex surgery, requiring simultaneous operations in four operating theatres, involved four anaesthetists and transplant surgical teams. The hospital's Senior Consultant, Nephrology and Renal Transplant, Arun Kumar N., believes India should adopt this approach to improve transplant outcomes, survival rates, and reduce the need for repeat transplants.