Royal Melbourne Hospital frees a record number of patients from dialysis with kidney transplants

A RISE in the number of “sleeping organs” being transplanted by Melbourne surgeons is giving Victorians a second chance at life, freeing more patients from dialysis.

A RECORD number of lifesaving kidney transplants at the Royal Melbourne Hospital has freed more patients than ever before from dialysis.

An increase in “sleeping organs” generously donated by families of loved ones who die when their circulation stops is behind the remarkable success.

Melbourne mother Andrea Dalton is one of the Victorians lucky enough to receive a donor kidney late last year after a three-year wait for a transplant.

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Surgeons are using more organs after people die from circulatory death, allowing them to transplant more kidneys.

Now the 34-year-old’s sleeping donor kidney is awake, she no longer relies on a dialysis machine eight hours a day and can enjoy more time with her energetic daughter.

New figures show the number of transplants by the Parkville team reached a record 140 last year, up from 108 in 2012.

Donations after circulatory death rose from 14 to 45 during the same period.

Kidney transplant patient Andrea Dalton with husband Shaun and daughter Ava. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

“We are very pleased that we are able to offer transplantation to more patients who really need it,” Director of Nephrology Professor Steve Holt said.

“In the past, most deceased donors have been people who are brain dead, they have had a massive brain injury, which means their brain has stopped functioning but their circulation is still going.”

With donation after circulatory death, the person’s heart and circulation has also stopped.

“This means the organs are not getting constant blood flow for a short period, so they deteriorate faster, and we expect them not work immediately,” he said.

“We warn patients like Andrea that they may not work to begin with, often there is a period of time where we have to continue to support them with dialysis and monitor the kidney carefully.

“But eventually they almost always ‘wake up’ and become very good organs.”

The first Ms Dalton knew she had kidney failure was when she had a general check up at the doctor.

“I actually thought I had morning sickness,” she said “I thought they would tell me I was pregnant; I felt very unwell and lethargic.”

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A record number of lifesaving kidney transplants at the Royal Melbourne Hospital has freed more patients than ever before from dialysis. Picture: Carmelo Bazzano

“My kidney function was at 9 per cent, I was rushed in to hospital to have a tube put in my stomach for dialysis.”

She was desperate to get a transplant after three years on dialysis.

“I wanted to be able to do normal things with my daughter Ava, who is eight, like take her for a bike ride, go to the movies and lunch, or travel and I couldn’t do that without it.”

“It’s working now, I’ve got so much more energy now and I’m just so grateful to my donor’s family.”

RM senior transplant surgeon Ms Amanda Robertson said the main difference with donation after circulatory death was up to 40 per cent of transplants didn’t go ahead because the patient doesn’t die within the required clinical time frame.

Register to donate at register.donatelife.gov.au/decide

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