Now Reading: AIIMS Delhi performs rare dual kidney transplant from elderly donor
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AIIMS Delhi performs rare dual kidney transplant from elderly donor
AIIMS Delhi performs rare dual kidney transplant from elderly donor
AIIMS Delhi has successfully performed its second dual kidney transplant using organs from a marginal donor, a 70-year-old woman declared brain dead. The surgery on July 28 transplanted both kidneys into a…
The Story in Brief
AIIMS Delhi has successfully performed its second dual kidney transplant using organs from a marginal donor, a 70-year-old woman declared brain dead. The surgery on July 28 transplanted both kidneys into a single recipient, a 56-year-old woman, a strategy to maximise use of organs that might otherwise be declined due to the donor's advanced age.
The kidneys were flown from Command Hospital, Chandigarh, to Delhi by an Army helicopter. Despite 12 hours of cold ischaemia, both organs started functioning immediately. The recipient recovered without complications and was discharged after 10 days with normal kidney function. The transplant was led by Dr Asuri Krishna and supported by nephrology and anaesthesia teams.
The Indian Opinion
This case challenges the reflexive dismissal of elderly or marginal donors as unusable. Yet India's organ donation rate remains abysmal, and many potential donors are lost to family refusal or poor coordination. The real test is whether this success nudges more families to consent when a brain dead relative, even elderly, could save lives. How many such dual transplants will AIIMS perform in the next year? That number will tell us if this remains a rare feat or becomes a routine lifeline.
Sources (2): hindustantimes.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
