MUMBAI: Bucking the universal trend of women family members donating kidneys to their male relatives, two sons -one from Mumbai and the other from Mwanza in Tanzania-donated their kidneys to each other’s mothers in a swap transplant carried out on December 4.
Swap transplants are an exchange of organs (kidneys) between two families in such a way that each donor gives a kidney to the recipient in the other pair; India has allowed swap transplants since 2006.
Hundreds of swap transplants have been carried out since, but the India-Tanzania swap carried out simultaneously in two city hospitals- Nanavati Max Hospital in Juhu and Sushrut Hospital in Chembur-is only the second international swap in Maharashtra/Mumbai. In 2013, two Kenyan sisters participated in a swap transplant with a couple from Rajasthan in Hinduja Hospital, Mahim.
“Due to the Apex Swap Transplant Registry, we were able to match the Tanzanian mother and son with the Chembur pair in just two weeks,” said Dr Jatin Kothari, director (nephrology) from Nanavati Max Hospital.
Fifty-eight-year-old Francisca Zacharia and her son (who doesn’t want to be identified) visited Ahmedabad in September for medical treatment of her chronic kidney disease. When they were told she would need a transplant instead, they travelled to Mumbai for a second opinion.
“I was determined to donate my kidney so my mother doesn’t have to be on dialysis. But as we wanted a second opinion, we were referred to Nanavati Hospital,” said Zacharia’s 32-year-old son.
Investigations, though, revealed a mismatch in their blood groups.
Dr Kothari then counselled the family about swap transplants and entered their names in the registry, leading to a match with the Chainanis from Chembur.
Fifty-seven-year-old Sheela Chainani was undergoing dialysis for two years as her 30-year-old son, Aditya, was not a compatible donor.
The families then underwent tests and interviews at the hospital level as well as the state authorisation committee led by the Directorate of Medical Education and Research.
After getting DMER’s approval, the doctors on December 4 simultaneously started kidney retrieval surgery from the donors-Aditya at Nanavati and Zacharia’s son at Sushrut-and then performed the transplants for Francisca and Sheela, respectively.
The sons will get discharged on Saturday while their mothers may need another 24 or 48 hours more.
“After speaking with Francisca, I realised both our families overcame numerous obstacles before meeting each other. This journey has forged a special bond between us, one that we will cherish forever,” said Aditya.
Swap transplants are an exchange of organs (kidneys) between two families in such a way that each donor gives a kidney to the recipient in the other pair; India has allowed swap transplants since 2006.
Hundreds of swap transplants have been carried out since, but the India-Tanzania swap carried out simultaneously in two city hospitals- Nanavati Max Hospital in Juhu and Sushrut Hospital in Chembur-is only the second international swap in Maharashtra/Mumbai. In 2013, two Kenyan sisters participated in a swap transplant with a couple from Rajasthan in Hinduja Hospital, Mahim.
“Due to the Apex Swap Transplant Registry, we were able to match the Tanzanian mother and son with the Chembur pair in just two weeks,” said Dr Jatin Kothari, director (nephrology) from Nanavati Max Hospital.
Fifty-eight-year-old Francisca Zacharia and her son (who doesn’t want to be identified) visited Ahmedabad in September for medical treatment of her chronic kidney disease. When they were told she would need a transplant instead, they travelled to Mumbai for a second opinion.
“I was determined to donate my kidney so my mother doesn’t have to be on dialysis. But as we wanted a second opinion, we were referred to Nanavati Hospital,” said Zacharia’s 32-year-old son.
Investigations, though, revealed a mismatch in their blood groups.
Dr Kothari then counselled the family about swap transplants and entered their names in the registry, leading to a match with the Chainanis from Chembur.
Fifty-seven-year-old Sheela Chainani was undergoing dialysis for two years as her 30-year-old son, Aditya, was not a compatible donor.
The families then underwent tests and interviews at the hospital level as well as the state authorisation committee led by the Directorate of Medical Education and Research.
After getting DMER’s approval, the doctors on December 4 simultaneously started kidney retrieval surgery from the donors-Aditya at Nanavati and Zacharia’s son at Sushrut-and then performed the transplants for Francisca and Sheela, respectively.
The sons will get discharged on Saturday while their mothers may need another 24 or 48 hours more.
“After speaking with Francisca, I realised both our families overcame numerous obstacles before meeting each other. This journey has forged a special bond between us, one that we will cherish forever,” said Aditya.