Surgeons perform biggest kidney removal operation in India

Surgeons have cut kidneys weighing 7 kgs and 5.8 kgs out of a man with a life-threatening genetic disorder, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Combining the weight of both the kidneys, 12.8 kgs is one of the biggest ever removed in an operation in India.

A team headed by Dr. Pradeep Rao Director - Urology and Renal Transplant, Global Hospital, Mumbai and Dr. Bharat Shah Director - Institute of Renal Sciences, Global Hospital, Mumbai successfully removed the kidneys and subsequently performed a Swap Kidney Transplantation giving a new lease of life to the patient. The 41-year-old patient’s wife donated her kidney to another patient, Nitin from Amravati who was also waiting for a suitable kidney donor.

Likewise, Nitin’s wife donated a kidney to the 41-year-old.

Roman, a resident of Goa, suffered from kidney failure and was on dialysis at the age of 41 owing to Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). It is a genetic disorder characterized by the growth of numerous cysts in the kidneys reducing functioning kidney tissue. The patient’s life was disrupted, and he wasn’t able to do his daily activities with ease as he was breathless, couldn’t walk and his hemoglobin was low.

The patient was referred to Global Hospital, where the kidney transplant team found a suitable kidney donor through swap transplant registry maintained by the hospital.

Dr. Pradeep Rao Director - Urology and Renal Transplant, Global Hospital, Mumbai, said, “Although at our hospital most kidneys are removed laparoscopically with Key Hole Surgery, Roman’s kidneys were measuring almost a foot in length, so he was just not the candidate and required open surgery. This way through a single incision, we could remove both the kidneys which weighed 12.8 kg in total.

Roman’s kidneys weighing 7 Kgs and 5.8 Kgs were removed on 12th November 2019. A normal kidney weighs about 150 gms and is 8-10cms in length. But the kidneys cut out from Roman were nearly 26cm and 21 cm.

According to Dr. Bharat Shah, “A swap kidney transplant – also known as paired kidney donation is the interchange of kidney donors between two families. Roman from Goa and Nitin from Amravati were to get kidney transplantation due to renal failure.

The doctors found out that Roman and wife had incompatible blood group type and Nitin and his wife had incompatible tissue type. The doctors discussed the swap kidney transplantation with both the families and they immediately accepted. After getting the necessary approval the procedure was carried out on the patients. Both transplantations were performed simultaneously on 17th December 2019. Post-transplantation, both the patients are keeping good health and do their daily activities with ease.”