First paired kidney donation in Hong Kong completed successfully

The first paired kidney donation has been successfully completed in Hong Kong, with the two patients involved discharged from hospital by the end of September.  

The Hospital Authority launched the Paired Kidney Donation Pilot Programme in 2018, allowing cross matches between two patients waiting for kidney transplants and their respective family members.  

The families could not donate a kidney to their own loved ones due to incompatible blood groups or human leucocyte antigens.  

The first case was successfully matched in June this year, and the two pairs of patients and their families were discharged from the hospital by the end of September. 

Janette Kwok Siu-yin, Co-Chairperson of the program's working group, said that the program can increase the chance of finding a compatible living donated kidney by exchange between incompatible pairs. 

Larry Lee Lap-yip, Chief Executive Manager of the Hospital Authority, said that in addition to peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis, patients with end-stage renal disease still rely on kidney transplants for treatment. 

"The number of successful cadaveric and living kidney transplants is fewer than 80 per year, but the number of people waiting for transplant has reached 2,300," Lee said. "Each of them can only live for an average of 54 months longer if they fail to get a transplant.” 

He believes that the program will bring the patients hope. 

The team said the biggest challenge was to ensure the operations of both families are carried out at the same time. 

In addition, to make sure that the patients would not know the identity of the other, there should also be special arrangements for admission registration and their entry into operating theaters. 

The Hospital Authority said that the public can participate in the program through referral from the hospitals or voluntarily, and the computer system conducts matching every three months. 

If the conditions are met, the hospital will arrange for two surgeries to be performed at the same time after assessment and approval of the Human Organ Transplant Board.