Sushma’s surgery was ‘normal, without surprises’

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who underwent a kidney transplant on Saturday, received the kidney of a living donor woman.

Blood relatives preferred

“Though blood relatives are preferred, in this case we found no suitable candidates. For the procedure, one has to ensure a match of the blood group and tissue types. Also, tissue types are determined by a test called HLA matching. A similar blood and tissue type reduce the chances of a kidney being rejected,” explained a senior physician at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here, which is where the Minister underwent the surgery.

The doctor added that the surgery was “normal and without surprises”.

In some cases, kidneys are also transplanted from donors who died recently. However, in such a situation blood groups and antigens are not matched. As a result, the chances of the kidney being rejected are greater.

Word of caution

Doctors, however, are quick to caution that life after a kidney transplant isn’t free of medical complications. Many transplant patients have a tendency to develop ureteric stenosis because of which the ureters become narrow. Consequently, flow of urine from kidney to the bladder is obstructed.

A kidney infection after surgery is another complication that might arise, besides fungal and bacterial infections. Long-term effects include risk of cancer, which can be attributed to the use of immunosuppressants, say doctors.

Complex procedure

The lengthy procedure begins with the Gibson incision where a cut is made over the lower abdomen, through which the donated kidney is placed inside. Till this stage, the recipient’s own kidney is left in its natural position. After this, blood vessels from the lower abdomen are attached to the donated kidney to ensure it has access to blood supply.

Finally, the ureters are attached to the donated kidney, after which the skin is tied up with sutures, leaving the catheter to flush out blood and fluids.