Mumbai doctors perform kidney transplant on woman with rare 'Bombay' blood group

Mumbai doctors have given a new lease of life to a Shirdi woman after successfully completing a kidney transplantThe Jaslok Hospital amp Research Centre has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in kidney transplantation by successfully performing Indias first kidney transplant in a patient with the extremely rare ldquoBombayrdquo blood groupThe ldquoBombayrdquo blood group hh is exceptionally rare occurring in approximately 1 in 10000 individuals in India and 1 in a million worldwide Because it lacks the H antigen which is present in all other blood types even O negative blood can cause a severe reaction in individuals with the ldquoBombayrdquo blood group This makes finding compatible donors incredibly challengingPooja the 30yearold woman had been suffering from kidney failure due to diabetes since 2022 When she visited the hospital her reports from another hospital initially indicated she had an O blood group However it was at Jaslok Hospital that her blood group was accurately diagnosed as the rare Bombay blood groupAn accurate blood group diagnosis is essential for any medical procedure especially in major surgeries like a kidney transplant A proper understanding of the blood group is crucial for a successful transplant as the blood group plays a significant role in the organs acceptance by the recipients bodyHer rare lsquoBombayrsquo blood group also known as hh presented a significant obstacle to finding a compatible donor Individuals with this blood type lack the A B and H antigens on their red blood cells making them universal plasma donors but extremely difficult recipients After being turned away by multiple hospitals she found hope at Jaslok HospitalThe patients mother with a different and incompatible blood type B positive bravely stepped forward as a donor The transplant team led by renowned nephrologists and urologists meticulously planned the procedure including specialised treatments to minimise the risk of organ rejection This involved closely monitoring and managing antibody levels a critical aspect of incompatible transplants The hospitals blood bank also played a crucial role sourcing rare ldquoBombayrdquo blood products from across the state to ensure patient safety during the surgeryThe team responsible for this remarkable achievement included nephrologists Dr Rushi Deshpande and Dr Ashwin Patil urologists Dr A A Raval and Dr J G Lalmalani anaesthetists Dr Dipankar Dasgupta and Dr Savi Shah Blood Bank officers Dr Asha and Dr Tejaswini and transplant Coordinators Ruchita Nilesh Pradnya and Sheetal Their combined expertise and collaborative efforts were instrumental in this groundbreaking success Dr Rushi Deshpande director of the department of Nephrology Academics at Jaslok Hospital stated ldquoPerforming this transplant was a formidable challenge given that no similar cases had been undertaken anywhere in the world to the best of my knowledge Further it was at Jaslok Hospital that her correct blood group was diagnosed and knowing this before the transplant was crucial otherwise it could have resulted in a catastrophe The expertise of our highly trained team of doctors and nurses coupled with the topnotch infrastructure and laboratory support here played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the procedurerdquoJaslok Hospital is a pioneer in ABOincompatible renal transplants stated Dr Milind Khadke medical director Jaslok Hospital However performing an incompatible transplant with a Bombay blood group recipient is exceptionally rare and complex requiring meticulous planning and a precise desensitization protocolDr Ashwin Patil consultant nephrologist added While we routinely monitor ABO titres and perform plasma exchange in incompatible transplants this case required additional monitoring of AntiH antibody titres further highlighting the complexity of the procedureThe patient with tears of joy said rdquoDr Deshpande his team and everyone at Jaslok hospital looked after me like a family I had given up on living but today I am thankful to them for giving me this new lease of life when so many hospitals turned down my caserdquo