Thursday, May 29, 2014

A long non-directed donor chain in Australia

Here's the story fro;m the Melbourne Herald Sun (with nice pictures):
IN AN incredible medical marathon, a dozen Victorians went under the knife in ­Australia’s largest live kidney ­donation and transplant swap.

"The Australia-first paired ­kidney exchange, if successful, will give six people who have been languishing on dialysis a second chance of life.

"Twelve operations to remove and transplant the organs were performed in four major hospitals across Melbourne yesterday.

"The extraordinary chain of events was triggered by Victoria’s first altruistic donor giving a ­kidney up to a stranger.

"That selfless act set off a domino effect that became the ­nation’s first six-way paired kidney transplant exchange attempt.

"Five other Victorians gave up a kidney to a suitably matched stranger.

"A loved one of each donor who was in need of a kidney received a donated organ in return."

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