Medical Milestone: Eight-Year-Old Girl Becomes UK's First Kidney Transplant Recipient Who Won't Need Lifelong Drugs
Aditi, who was diagnosed with the rare genetic condition Schimke's immuno-osseous dysplasia (SIOD), faced the challenge of weakened immunity and failing kidneys.
London, September 22: Eight-year-old Aditi Shankar has made medical history as the first person in the United Kingdom to undergo a kidney transplant that does not require a lifetime of immunosuppressant drugs. Aditi, who was diagnosed with the rare genetic condition Schimke's immuno-osseous dysplasia (SIOD), faced the challenge of weakened immunity and failing kidneys. However, doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) devised an innovative treatment approach.
According to multiple reports, in this procedure, Aditi received both a bone marrow transplant and a kidney transplant from her mother, Divya. The key to its success lies in the use of bone marrow stem cells from the same donor, which helped reprogram Aditi's immune system to accept the new kidney as her own. Typically, transplant recipients are required to take immunosuppressant drugs to prevent organ rejection, but these drugs have potential long-term side effects. Medical Marvel: Ten-Year-Old Girl Arushi Mashery Born With Joint Urethra, Vagina and Rectum Treated Successfully at Mumbai Hospital.
Thanks to the novel procedure, Aditi was able to stop taking immunosuppressants merely a month after her kidney transplant. This milestone not only ensures her safety from the risks associated with these drugs but also offers her a higher quality of life. Aditi has resumed her everyday activities, including school, swimming, singing, dancing, and playing on her trampoline. Her mother, Divya, expressed her pride and happiness in being able to provide both blood cells and a kidney to her daughter. Israeli Doctors Perform Miracle Surgery, Reattach Palestinian Boy's Head to His Neck After Horrifying Road Accident.
Aditi herself described the transplant experience as "a special sleep," and she is now free to enjoy life as a typical eight-year-old. Professor Stephen Marks, a children's kidney specialist at GOSH, hailed the procedure's success, highlighting Aditi's unique status as the first patient in the UK and the National Health Service (NHS) to undergo a kidney transplant for SIOD without the need for immunosuppression. While this procedure marks a significant breakthrough in transplantation care, it is unlikely to be widely adopted due to the increased risks associated with double transplants.
However, it opens the door for future developments in transplantation techniques that may address the long-standing challenge of lifelong immunosuppressant medication. Aditi's case demonstrates the potential of innovative medical approaches to improve the lives of patients facing complex medical conditions, offering hope for a better quality of life for those needing transplants. Her remarkable journey will be presented at the European Society for Paediatric Nephrology conference, with an accompanying editorial to be published in the journal Paediatric Transplantation.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 22, 2023 03:12 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).