Successful multi-hospital 3-pair domino kidney transplant at Nanavati Max Hospital and Sushrut Hospital, giving new life to three patients | Representative Image
Mumbai: In a ground-breaking medical achievement, Nanavati Max Hospital, Vile Parle, and Sushrut Hospital, Chembur, successfully conducted a multi-hospital three-pair domino kidney transplant, giving a fresh lease of life to three patients suffering from end-stage kidney failure.
The complex procedure involved six surgeries across the two hospitals, with two organ retrievals and transplants at Nanavati Max Hospital and one at Sushrut Hospital, Chembur. This intricate process enabled three incompatible donor-recipient pairs from different families to participate in a synchronized swap, overcoming blood group mismatches and increasing transplant viability.
The first recipient, a 36-year-old Mumbai resident, had been on dialysis for two years. His mother, a suitable donor, agreed to donate her kidney to a 57-year-old woman on the transplant waiting list for two years. The woman’s husband, whose blood group was incompatible with hers, instead donated his kidney to a 25-year-old dialysis technician from Ratnagiri recently diagnosed with kidney failure. Completing the chain, the technician’s 50-year-old mother donated her kidney to the 36-year-old recipient, finalizing the three-way swap.
The surgeries took place on March 18, with all transplants performed successfully. The patients are now in recovery.
Dr. Jatin Kothari, Director of Nephrology and Chief Consultant, Renal Transplant Medicine at Nanavati Max Hospital, emphasized the significance of the domino transplant approach, stating, “This technique provides a lifeline to patients facing long waits for cadaveric organs. A unified registry of unmatched donor-recipient pairs across hospitals can facilitate larger transplant chains, benefiting more patients.”
Dr. Vivek Talaulikar, Director and COO – Western Region, Max Healthcare, highlighted the impact of such procedures, adding, “This three-pair domino transplant demonstrates our commitment to innovative renal care. Expanding these coordinated transplants across hospitals can significantly reduce the number of unmatched donors and recipients, easing both clinical and financial burdens.”
