Rare Renal transplant by Global Hospitals surgeons

It’s not every day that you come across someone like 52 year old Surinder Kumar Sahoo, whose unique medical history has broken all notions about organ transplant. Sahoo has undergone kidney transplant three times since 1995 with fewer complications, the last being done in 2013. He is now 4 years post third renal transplant with good quality of life and a bread earner for the family.

Third kidney transplant is rare, very few cases are reported worldwide and only 2-3 cases being reported from India. It was first of its kind in Southern part of India.

Dr.G.Sridhar, chief ap consultant nephrologist and transplant physician, said,” it is not easy to perform third transplant since the existing graft can’t be removed and additional cavity has to be created to place the new organ. Also, maintaining immunosupression for these patients is challenging as they are already exposed to two previous kidney transplants. Immunosupression in these patients has to be critically balanced for a good graft function.

Surinder Kumar Sahoo, when he was 28 years old, he underwent first kidney transplant with brother as donor. Second renal transplant was done in 1999. Unfortunately, there were no donors in the family for transplant, so he was registered for cadaver transplantation under in jeevandan scheme in 2011. He got the kidney in 2014 and till that time he was on CAPD. In May 2013, he underwent 3rd transplant with deceased donor kidney and is doing well till date.

“Doing 3rd kidney transplant is challenging surgically because ther is not enough space for the new kidney and vascular and ureteric anastomosis is not technically easy.” Says Dr.Malcondiah, Urologist and transplant surgeon.

During the transplant, the family was counseled about technical difficulties and another recipient was kept ready so that the organ is not wasted; if at any point it looks not feasible.

Kidney transplant is currently the best treatment option for ESRD. It increases survival, Quality of life and is cost effective compared to dialysis. Moreover, losing a transplanted kidney is associated with depression and psychological stress. This case gives a ray of hope to those patients in whom first or second kidney transplant, reduces psychological stress, gives survival advantage, and improves Quality of life compared to shifting on dialysis again.