51-year-old alive on 4 working kidneys after transplant | Read Article

• Surgeons at AIIMS-Delhi perform first dual kidney transplant on a dialysis patient
• During operation, two kidneys of the donor were placed in a heterotropic manner without removing her own kidneys
• 51-year-old recipient now has four functoining kidneys after the successful surgery

Surgeons at AIIMS-Delhi have successfully conducted a dual kidney transplant on a patient who was undergoing dialysis. The pioneering surgery took place on December 22 last year.

The recipient of the dual kidney transplant is a 51-year-old woman who had been dependent on dialysis due to the failure of both her kidneys. The intricate procedure was carried out by the collaborative efforts of AIIMS's department of surgical disciplines and department of nephrology, along with support from the Organ Retrieval Banking Organisation (ORBO).

Dr Asuri Krishna, Additional Professor of Surgery at AIIMS-Delhi, led the surgical tea. While speaking about the surgery, Dr Krishna said, "We are pleased to share this achievement with the public, ensuring the patient's well-being is our top priority."

The kidneys for the transplant were of a 78-year-old woman who had suffered a severe head injury and was admitted to AIIMS Trauma Centre. She was declared brain dead and her family agreed to donate her organs. 

Both kidneys from the donor were transplanted into the recipient without removing her own failed kidneys. This innovative approach, known as heterotropic transplantation, means that the patient now has four kidneys functioning within her body. 

As the donor was 78-year-old, due to extreme age, her single kidney would not have been sufficient for a patient on dialysis.