Hubali : Rudrappa Doddamani, a 33 year old man hailing from Hubli was diagnosed with renal failure and his condition began to worsen, resulting in end-stage organ failure. His mother, 53- year-old Leelavva Doddamani stepped in as a lifesaver to her son by donating her kidney. The renal transplant procedure was performed by laparoscopic keyhole surgery using a minimally-invasive method.
Rudrappa, an employee of a private company, was presented to HCG Suchirayu Hospital with symptoms associated with end-stage renal failure. Further investigations revealed that his elevated blood pressure had been a core factor in affecting the functioning of his kidneys which in turn led to renal failure. Rudrappa didn’t display any symptoms associated with high blood pressure. But he gradually began losing weight which directly affected the functioning of his kidneys and other vital organs. Dr. Bhuvanesh N Aradhya, Senior Consultant Urologist and Transplant Surgeon, HCG Suchirayu Hospitals, and his team evaluated his condition and immediately put him on hemodialysis for 3 times a week and further recommended a renal transplant to be done at the earliest.
Patients suffering from end-stage organ failure often wait many months, if not years, to find the right donor. Since only a blood relation can donate a kidney, finding the right donor among the blood relations is important. Despite several attempts and tests, there were no right donors ready to help with the procedure. At this crucial point Rudrappa’s mother, Leelavva courageously stepped forward, agreeing to donate her organ.
Doctors at HCG Suchirayu Hospital, Hubli performed the transplantation based on the health conditions of the mother and son. They were put on immunosuppressants to bring down the chances of rejection of the kidney before initializing the procedure.
During the surgery, Rudrappa’s heart rate began failing due to the dysfunctional kidneys and there was a chance of pulmonary edema as well. The team comprising of other surgeons and anesthesiologists played a pivotal role in avoiding the occurrence of any such incident.
The kidney was retrieved from the donor through a laparoscopic keyhole surgery that was performed in a minimally-invasive method just by making 3 to 4 small incisions. It took 4 hours for the surgery to be completed. The patient’s affected kidneys were retained, and the new, healthy kidney were replaced in the anterior part of the lower abdomen. The minimally-invasive procedure enabled the donor and the receiver to recover in 2 – 3 days and resume his regular job within 2 months.
“Post-transplantation, Rudrappa’s kidney functions were normal. Initially, due to Rudrappa’s dialysis, there was no urine output, and his creatinine levels were 9-10, which is higher than the optimal range. Post-surgery, he passed 12 – 14 litres of urine and in the renal function blood test, his creatinine levels showed massive improvements and recorded 1-2, which was the optimal range. Within a period of two months, Rudrappa will be fully recovered and can resume his normal activities,” said Dr. Chetan Mudrabettu, Consultant – Nephrologist, HCG Suchirayu Hospitals, Hubli.
“The rare laparoscopic keyhole procedure for renal transplantation was performed successfully. This minimally invasive procedure was chosen because conducting an open surgery would have caused a lot of pain to both the donor and the receiver, and the recovery time too is considerably high. The procedure was an emotional one for all involved and we are proud of Leelavva for stepping in to donate her kidney” said Dr. Bhuvanesh N Aradhya, Senior Consultant Urologist and Transplant Surgeon, HCG Suchirayu Hospitals, Hubli
“HCG Hospitals thrives in providing the best in class treatments by adapting to the latest procedures and technologies. The kidney transplant as a keyhole surgery is a complex procedure that is rarely performed. The procedure carries great significance as very few facilities have the wherewithal to perform the procedure,” said Dr. Jaikishan, Chief Operating Officer, HCG Suchirayu Hospitals, Hubli.
After 6 days of hospitalization, both mother and son were discharged. Meanwhile, Rudrappa by expressing his gratitude for his mother and the doctors said “My mother is my savior. Her sacrifice saved my life and the future of my children. I shall forever be indebted to her and the doctors here at HCG for giving me a new lease of life”.
His mother Leelavva is now relieved that her son is healthy and continues with his normal work. “It is nothing big compared to my son’s life. What more in life does a mother want that seeing the happiness of her children” said the visibly happy mother.