Patient has double kidney transplant - UK

Main Category: Transplants / Organ Donations
Article Date: 23 Jan 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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During a six-hour operation, Ken Spensley (of Middlesborough, UK) had two kidneys given to him by surgeons in Newcastle (North of England). This happened a month ago.

Ken is doing well (recovering from the operation well).

The surgeons placed both kidneys on the right side of his body (not one on each side). Ken now has a 'double-decker kidney'.

Surgeon, David Talbot (Newcastle Freeman Hospital) said he placed both kidneys on the right side of the patient in case he needed another transplant one day in the future.

The patient now has four kidneys; the two new ones plus the two failing ones.

When Ken's kidneys failed, he had to go on a dialysis machine for 15 hours a week until a suitable organ(s) was found. It took a year to find the organs, during that time he lost 14 pounds (weight) and was only allowed to drink one litre of fluid a day.

Ken had a special diet which excluded loads of foods, such as bananas, chocolates, coffee and chips (french fries). He is now looking forward to having some decent meals.

This was the first double kidney transplant in the UK (about a dozen have been done in the USA).

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