Chinese woman donates kidney to husband despite low match odds
A 25-year-old Chinese woman donated a kidney to her husband after his uraemia worsened and a deceased-donor transplant could have required years of waiting. Doctors said successful matches between non-blood relatives are uncommon, but the couple shared blood type and the transplant succeeded. He was discharged on September 23.
A 25-year-old Chinese woman donated her left kidney to her husband after doctors warned that he could not afford to wait several more years for a deceased-donor organ. Liang’s husband, Chung, 33, developed uraemia after living with congenital megaureter, a condition involving an abnormally enlarged ureter. He had been on a transplant waiting list for three years and had previously experienced acute heart failure.
Doctors said suitable donors for his O-negative blood type were scarce and that he might wait another two to seven years. Liang decided to donate after fearing that her husband would not survive the delay. The couple shared the same blood type.
A complement-dependent cytotoxicity test also found no antibodies likely to cause rejection. Dr Zhao Jiqiang of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University said successful transplants between people who are not blood relatives typically occur in only five to 10 per cent of cases. The operation was successful, and Chung’s new kidney was functioning well.
He was discharged on September 23. Liang said the surgery was much more painful than childbirth but that she had no regrets. The couple married in January last year and have a young son.
Liang said she regarded Chung as family and wanted him to recover. He said he would treat her better and hoped to travel with her after his recovery.
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