Pune: A 50-year-old woman donated her kidney to her 30-year-old daughter-in-law. The three-hour surgery gave the daughter-in-law a new lease of life. The patient from Sangamner having a child had been a patient of nephrologist Dr Sriniwas Ambike at Jehangir Hospital since February 2016. 

“The patient was suffering from renal failure, because of which she developed high blood pressure, which was difficult to control. The patient being young, transplant was the best solution, especially when a suitable donor is available,” said Dr Ambike. 

While kidney transplants between families are possible, what makes this surgery rare and laudable is that this was a mother-in-law giving her kidney to the daughter-in-law. 

“The patient’s parents, though willing to donate, were unfit for this transplant due to their medical conditions. But it was the mother-in-law who volunteered to donate her kidney immediately. She has been discharged now and is doing well. Her blood pressure is under control and creatinine levels are also normal,” added Dr Ambike. 

A team consisting of Dr Nitin Gadgil, Dr Ketan Pai along with Dr Deepak Kirpekar, Dr Yogesh Sohoni and vascular surgeon Dr Dhanesh Kamerkar worked on this case. 

Transplant co-ordinator Vrinda Pusalkar highlighted the speed of government approvals in this case. “They didn’t hesitate at all in giving clearances and we were able to prepare for the surgery in good time,” said Pusalkar. 

Operating surgeon Dr Kirpekar said the case is a perspective of changing equations in today’s society. “We have always heard of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law being at battle. Here one is saving the daughter-in-law’s life. The blood groups matched so plasmapheresis and prep did not need to be done. So it was an easy surgery,” said Dr Kirpekar.