AIIMS Raipur has successfully conducted its first Swap Kidney Transplant, also known as Kidney Paired Donation (KPD), becoming the first among the newer AIIMS institutions and the first government hospital in Chhattisgarh to perform this advanced and life-saving procedure.
The transplant, conducted under the guidance of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, marks a significant milestone in expanding access to advanced medical care for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), the Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
A life-saving exchange
Swap Kidney Transplant is a procedure where two incompatible patient-donor pairs exchange kidneys to ensure compatibility. In this case, two ESRD patients from Bilaspur, aged 39 and 41, had been undergoing dialysis for three years. Their wives volunteered as donors, but blood group incompatibilities (B+ with O+, and O+ with B+) made direct donations impossible.
To overcome this, the AIIMS Raipur transplant team coordinated a successful donor swap between the two couples. The surgeries were performed on March 15, and all four individuals—both donors and recipients—are currently recovering well in the Transplant ICU.
Leading the Way in Transplant Innovation
The surgery was led by a multidisciplinary team comprising Transplant Physician Dr. Vinay Rathore; Transplant Surgeons Dr. Amit R. Sharma, Dr. Deepak Biswal, and Dr. Satyadeo Sharma; Anaesthesiologists Dr. Subrat Singha, Dr. Mayank, Dr. Jitendra, and Dr. Sarita Ramchandani; along with dedicated transplant coordinators, OT staff, and transplant nursing teams.
This milestone highlights AIIMS Raipur’s growing role in the development of organ transplantation in the region. The institute was also the first among newer AIIMS to start Deceased Donor Organ Donation and Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation. Furthermore, it is the first in Chhattisgarh to carry out Deceased Donor Paediatric Kidney Transplants.
To date, AIIMS Raipur has performed 54 kidney transplants with a graft survival rate of 95% and patient survival rate of 97%, showcasing its excellence in renal care and transplantation.
National Implications
Swap transplants are known to boost the total number of kidney transplants by nearly 15%, a potential recognized by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO). The organisation has recommended implementing swap donation programmes across all states and Union Territories. It also plans to launch a “One Nation, One Swap Transplant” policy to streamline and scale this life-saving initiative nationwide.
