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'Six-way' kidney transplant first | 'Six-way' kidney transplant first |
(about 2 hours later) | |
US doctors have carried out what is believed to be the world's first simultaneous six-way kidney transplant. | US doctors have carried out what is believed to be the world's first simultaneous six-way kidney transplant. |
Six recipients received organs from six donors in operations at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland. | Six recipients received organs from six donors in operations at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland. |
The procedure was made possible after an altruistic donor - neither a friend nor relative of any of the six patients - was found to match one of them. | The procedure was made possible after an altruistic donor - neither a friend nor relative of any of the six patients - was found to match one of them. |
Five patients had a willing donor whose kidney was incompatible with theirs, but it did match another in the group. | Five patients had a willing donor whose kidney was incompatible with theirs, but it did match another in the group. |
We want to spread the word about this sort of group surgery and living organ donation Jeanne HeiseRecipient | We want to spread the word about this sort of group surgery and living organ donation Jeanne HeiseRecipient |
This meant that suddenly, there were six people who could receive an organ. | This meant that suddenly, there were six people who could receive an organ. |
The operations were carried out simultaneously to make sure no-one backed out after their loved one had received a kidney. | The operations were carried out simultaneously to make sure no-one backed out after their loved one had received a kidney. |
"All 12 are doing great, the six kidneys are working well," said Dr Robert Montgomery, director of the transplant centre at the Johns Hopkins hospital. | "All 12 are doing great, the six kidneys are working well," said Dr Robert Montgomery, director of the transplant centre at the Johns Hopkins hospital. |
Team effort | Team effort |
The hospital has been one of the pioneers of this system which matches up several groups of people at one time. | The hospital has been one of the pioneers of this system which matches up several groups of people at one time. |
It aims to circumvent the problem of altruistic donors ending up in arbitrary allocation systems where only a single patient's needs are served. | It aims to circumvent the problem of altruistic donors ending up in arbitrary allocation systems where only a single patient's needs are served. |
The hospital has been carrying out these simultaneous transplants for three years: in 2005, the first triple procedure was performed, a year later, the first five-way. | The hospital has been carrying out these simultaneous transplants for three years: in 2005, the first triple procedure was performed, a year later, the first five-way. |
Nearly 100 medical professionals were needed to make the complex series of transplants possible, from immunogeneticists to hinder rejection to psychologists. | Nearly 100 medical professionals were needed to make the complex series of transplants possible, from immunogeneticists to hinder rejection to psychologists. |
If all goes to plan, each patient can expect their new kidney to last for as long as 20 years. | If all goes to plan, each patient can expect their new kidney to last for as long as 20 years. |
Recipient Jeanne Heise, whose husband donated to another patient, said more people should know about the system. | Recipient Jeanne Heise, whose husband donated to another patient, said more people should know about the system. |
"The waiting list for a kidney is very long and too many people die while waiting," she said. "With this group procedure, more and more people can beat kidney disease and live long productive lives." | "The waiting list for a kidney is very long and too many people die while waiting," she said. "With this group procedure, more and more people can beat kidney disease and live long productive lives." |
The UK has so far carried out only two-way transplants, with the most recent - the third - just this week. The prospect of three-way transplants is currently being examined. | |
A spokesman for UK transplant welcomed the news that the US had achieved a six-way procedure, but said the organisation and logistics required for such a process meant it was still a "very long way off" for the UK. |