CHENNAI: Two young boys, who were diagnosed with congenital kidney diseases, underwent kidney transplantation successfully, using the organs donated by their mothers.
R Arul Kumaran (11) was diagnosed with posterior urethral valve, a condition of obstructive developmental anomaly in the urethra. R Mithun (9) was diagnosed with congenitally mal-developed kidneys with high pressure that required multiple blood pressure medications.
“Though the children were initially doing okay on medication, managing with medications had become difficult as they were growing up. So we decided on kidney transplant,” said Balasubramaniyam, Chief Nephrologist, Kauvery Hospital, who performed the surgery. “These are the two first cases since the hospital started kidney transplant programme in paediatric cases about three years ago,” he said.
For both the children, the donors were their mothers. “From birth, Arul Kumaran was diagnosed with kidney problem, which was controlled with drugs. Though he did not go to the dialysis stage, the doctors suggested the transplant as the child can live a normal life after that. Being his mother, I was found to be a better match,” said his mother R Chitra. The transplant cost Rs 5 lakh.
The hospital said it was willing to do kidney transplants in children under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme, as government hospitals are not equipped to do paediatric kidney transplants yet. This will help children from families that cannot afford transplant in private hospitals, the doctor said.