Originally published Wednesday, April 9, 2008 at 12:00 AM
A double-6 kidney "domino"
Six kidney patients at Johns Hopkins Hospital received new organs from six unrelated living donors Saturday in what the chief surgeon called...
BALTIMORE — Six kidney patients at Johns Hopkins Hospital received new organs from six unrelated living donors Saturday in what the chief surgeon called the nation's first six-way "domino" kidney swap.
"All 12 are doing great, the six kidneys are working well," said Dr. Robert Montgomery, director of Hopkins' transplant center and head of the transplant team.
The transplants were made possible when a so-called altruistic donor, who was willing to donate to anyone, was found to be a match for one of six transplant candidates. Five of the candidates had a willing donor whose kidney was incompatible with their particular friend or relative, but a match for another of the six.
The 13-hour surgeries used six operating rooms and nine surgical teams — about 100 medical personnel.
The six-way transplant follows a quintuple transplant performed in 2006 at the hospital and several triple transplants. Last week, doctors at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital transplanted four kidneys simultaneously.
Most kidney transplants use organs taken from people who have died, but doctors prefer organs from live donors because the success rates are higher. The donors and recipients in the six-way transplant were matched using a living-donor system developed at Johns Hopkins.
Randy Bolten, whose brother is President Bush's chief of staff, Josh Bolten, was among the donors. He couldn't donate a kidney to his wife, Jeanne Heise, but he was a match for another recipient.
More than 252,000 kidney transplants have been performed in the United States since record-keeping began in 1988; 87,000 of the kidneys came from living donors. More than 75,000 people are waiting for kidney transplants and 4,352 died while waiting for a kidney last year, said Amanda Claggett, spokeswoman for the United Network for Organ Sharing.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
UPDATE - 10:01 AM
Rebels tighten hold on Libya oil port
UPDATE - 09:29 AM
Reality leads US to temper its tough talk on Libya
UPDATE - 09:38 AM
2 Ark. injection wells may be closed amid quakes
Armed guards save Dutch couple from Somali pirates
Navy to release lewd video investigation findings
nwautos
OWNER: Cherie LaMaine, Port Ludlow OCCUPATION: Retired CAR'S MAKE AND MODEL: 1911 Buick "I LOVE MY CAR BECAUSE... the wind can caress my face, and it...
Post a comment
nwjobs
A NWjobs blog about finding work life balance
Night shift workers: What's your sleep strategy?
Post a comment
Hire Ground
A NWjobs blog about landing your dream job in Seattle
Southwest WA: Where the jobs are?
Post a comment
- Companies lobby to hide disparity in CEO, worker pay
- Climate of fear grips Forks illegal immigrants
- Odd visitors in local waters a deep mystery
- Seattle Times special report: Twisted ethics of an expert witness
- On his death bed, Carl Ervin dishes one final assist | Jerry Brewer
- Microsoft Office 365 marks new war with Google
- M's triumph in the 10th
- Concrete-area man dies after being beaten in his home
- Convicted murderer says he believes Knox is guilty
- UW regents set to approve biggest-ever tuition increase
- Seattle Times special report: Twisted ethics of an expert witness
- Chicken adobo a-go-go: it's a rap, and a recipe, Seattle-style | All You Can Eat
- Climate of fear grips Forks illegal immigrants
- Odd visitors in local waters a deep mystery
- On his death bed, Carl Ervin dishes one final assist | Jerry Brewer
- Summer reading list: 7 super mysteries and thrillers | Lit Life
- Vaccine shows promise in reversing Type 1 diabetes
- UW regents set to approve biggest-ever tuition increase
- Federal cuts sting UW's global-language classes
- Betty MacDonald and I