Ahmedabad kidney institute creates history

Sanjay Sharma, 32, and Ramesh Dabhi, 48, recently underwent a second kidney transplant surgery. This time, they endured less pain, had a faster recovery and the surgery cost less compared to the earlier one.

Sharma and Dabhi have got to thank the experts at the Institute of Kidney Disease and Research Centre (IKDRC) and the Dr HL Trivedi Institute of Transplantation Science (ITS) who used a new surgical technique on the patients. IKDRC and ITS successfully performed the first laparoscopic kidney transplantations on the two patients on March 4. 

The laparoscopic kidney transplantation is a minimally invasive complex surgery and the entire operation is carried out without making a large incision.  The major advantages are less post-operative pain, rapid recovery, and shorter hospital stay. 

Dr HL Trivedi, from IKDRC and ITS announced this feat as global milestone. "Laparoscopic surgeries are generally conducted for removal of an organ. However, for the first time in India's medical history, our team has successfully conducted a reconstructive surgery - that is fixing a kidney into the body using laparoscopic techniques," said Dr Trivedi.

Dr Pranjal Modi said that laparoscopic kidney transplantation is a complex surgery that requires the most demanding operative skills.  "With this new technique, the entire transplant surgery is conducted with minimal invasion. Lesser the cuts and incisions, quicker is the recovery. The patients can recover fast and hence it reduces hospitalisation and medication costs," he said.