Vietnamese Doctors Perform First Paired-Kidney Exchange Transplant

Doctors at Cho Ray Hospital in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City have successfully performed the country’s first living paired-kidney exchange transplant, local media reported. Nguyen Thi Hue, 58, volunteered to donate one of her kidneys to her daughter Vu Thi Hue, 32, from Kien Giang province who had end-stage renal disease and has been on dialysis since June 2014. But she and her daughter did not match well. Another pair in the same situation, Le Thi Anh Hong, 31, from Dak Nong province with end-stage renal disease, has been on dialysis since April 2015. Hong’s stepfather, Truong Ngoc Xuan, 51, could not donate one of his own kidneys to his daughter as they were incompatible. Paired donation matches an incompatible donor and recipient to another pair in the same situation. Doctors at Cho Ray Hospital carefully consulted opinions from leading experts in kidney transplant and explained the procedure to two donor/recipient pairs who agreed to undergo paired kidney exchange. Hue’s mother gave one of her own kidneys to Hong. In exchange, Hong’s stepfather, Xuan, donated one of his own kidneys to Hue. The surgery was successful and the four patients are in stable condition, according to Dr. Thai Minh Sam, head of the hospital’s urology department. (vnexpress.net Feb 7, congan.com.vn Feb 7, hanoimoi.com.vn Feb 7)