A 16-year-old girl with chronic kidney disease recently underwent a renal transplant procedure, at a private paediatric hospital in Chennai, and is now doing well now.
The teenager was referred to Rainbow Children’s Hospital from another city’s paediatric hospital, said her father Suresh*. This is the first renal transplant to be performed at the hospital.
One day, the girl, Nandini,* fainted in school, and the authorities informed her parents, who brought her home. “She was well the next day but developed loose stools and fever the third day. We took her to Soorya Hospital,“ recalled Mr. Suresh. Investigations there revealed that her kidney function was poor. She was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and referred to Rainbow Hospital in Chennai.
Senior consultant paediatric nephrologist N. Prahlad said Nandini had retarded growth and suffered from hurried breathing. She was put on maintenance dialysis. Her kidneys had shrunk, and were unable to function normally. She weighed only 20-25 kg and was severely anaemic. She required haemodialysis every four days.
Though her parents agreed to a renal transplant, and her mother was willing to donate a kidney, Nandini was ABO incompatible, making a transplant a severe challenge. Her mother’s blood group was B+ and Nandini was O+.
V. Balaraman, senior consultant paediatric surgery and urology, who was part of the team, said people hesitate to allow their children to undergo a transplant, even though the outcomes have improved due to availability of medicines.
On March 23, the mother’s kidney was retrieved through laparoscopy and transplanted into the teen. The mother was discharged four days later and the teen, seven days after surgery.
Since surgery Nandini had gained weight and can hold her neck and walk straight, Mr. Suresh said.
G Moorthy, nephrologist, who performed the surgery said placing an adult kidney in an underdeveloped child was a challenge. Early diagnosis would give children a better quality of life and may even help prevent transplants in some cases, he explained. The surgeons said diagnosis can be made even during the antenatal period through ultrasounds.
*Names have been changed to protect privacy
