Chandigarh, May 19 : Fortis Hospital Mohali has successfully performed a rare and highly complex three-way Kidney Paired Donation, popularly known as a ‘triple swap’ kidney transplant, offering a new lease of life to three patients suffering from end-stage renal disease. The landmark procedure marks a significant advancement in organ transplantation and highlights the growing role of innovative transplant programs in overcoming donor incompatibility challenges. The life-saving procedure was performed by a team of doctors led by Dr Sahil Rally, Consultant, Kidney Transplant and Dr Anna Gupta, Consultant, Renal Sciences and Kidney Transplant at Fortis Hospital, Mohali.
The procedure involved three donor-recipient pairs who were unable to undergo transplantation due to blood group mismatch. Through the triple swap model, each donor donated a kidney to a compatible recipient in another family, creating a circular chain of transplants that enabled all three patients to successfully receive compatible organs. The highly coordinated surgery involved six simultaneous operations conducted across three operation theatres over nearly 10 to 11 hours. The procedure was carried out by a multidisciplinary team of more than 20 healthcare professionals led by Dr. Sahil Rally, Consultant, Kidney Transplant, Dr. Rohit Dhadwal, Senior Consultant, Department of Urology, Andrology and Robotic Surgery, Dr. Anna Gupta, Consultant – Renal Sciences and Kidney Transplant, Dr. Amit Kumar, Head, Anaesthesia, Dr. Anjana Sharma, Senior Consultant, Anaesthesiology, Dr Jasmeet Kaur, Senior Consultant, Anaesthesiology, Dr Dinesh Kumar, Consultant, Anaesthesiology, Dr Rajesh Kumar Harish, Consultant, Anaesthesiology, and Dr. Priyanka Jain, Head, Transplant ICU.
Explaining the significance of the procedure, Dr Sahil Rally, Consultant, Kidney Transplant, Fortis Hospital Mohali said,
“A triple swap kidney transplant is one of the most complex forms of kidney transplantation and requires extraordinary medical coordination, ethical oversight, and mutual trust between families. This procedure is a remarkable example of how science, teamwork, and compassion can come together to save multiple lives simultaneously. Through kidney paired donation, we are able to help patients who otherwise may have remained on dialysis for years waiting for a compatible donor.”
Speaking about the benefits of the procedure,Dr Anna Gupta, Consultant, Renal Sciences and Kidney Transplant Fortis Hospital, Mohali said,
“Kidney Paired Donation has emerged as an effective solution for patients who have willing family donors but cannot proceed with transplantation because of incompatibility issues. In a triple swap arrangement, Donor 1 donates to Recipient 2, Donor 2 donates to Recipient 3, and Donor 3 donates to Recipient 1. This method significantly reduces the risk of graft rejection and eliminates the need for expensive and high-risk desensitization therapies.”