University Health performs first-in-the-nation 7-pair living donor liver transplant exchange

University Health Transplant Institute at University Hospital is making history with the first-in-the-nation seven-pair living donor liver transplant exchange. It was a medically and logistically complex process that required matching seven remarkable people willing to donate portions of their livers with seven patients needing life-saving transplants. Waiting for a deceased organ might have taken too long to help some of these patients.

Kansas donor made the transplant chain possible

For this extraordinary effort, six agreed to donate their livers in return for loved ones receiving transplants. The seventh altruistic donor who traveled from Kansas City was just willing to give to a complete stranger – no strings attached. He originally intended to donate to a friend who received a transplant through a different process. But he was committed to helping anyone who needed his liver. It was his selfless donation that enabled this chain of transplants, which brought hope and health to seven families.

Skill, experience and a commitment to living organ donation

Each living donor’s liver regenerates after surgery, and the donated portion grows into a fully functioning liver in the recipient. This remarkable biological process, coupled with our liver transplant team’s unmatched surgical expertise, experience, use of robotic technology and large pool of potential living donors made the seven-pair exchange possible.

“This achievement showcases the power of living donation and the advanced coordination and surgical skill required for these transplants,” said Dr. Tarunjeet Klair, surgical director for the liver transplant program at University Health Transplant Institute. “It takes a minimum of four highly trained liver transplant surgeons per operation — two for the donor and two for the recipient — usually working simultaneously in two operating rooms for about eight hours. To successfully complete seven of these surgeries over a period of seven weeks required extraordinary coordination from our entire medical team.”

Patients and their medical team celebrate this milestone

The announcement of this achievement in liver transplantation comes during National Donate Life Month, shining a spotlight on the profound impact of living organ donation and the possibilities it offers for earlier transplants and improved patient outcomes.

All 14 participants — seven donors and seven recipients — will meet for the first time this Friday, April 10, at the University Health campus. Media are invited to the event. Let us know if you would like to interview patients and their liver transplant team before the event, from 1:30 – 2:45 p.m.

WHO:

Liver transplant team plus organ donors and recipients including the Kansas City donor who enabled the seven-pair exchange. 

WHAT:

Event where liver transplant patients meet their donors

WHEN:

Friday, April 10, 3 p.m. Transplant patients and their transplant surgeons can be available for interviews from 1:30 – 2:45 p.m. prior to the event and afterwards.

WHERE:

University Health main campus, 4502 Medical Drive. Please park in Visitors Garage. Enter through the interior walkway from the garage to the hospitals and meet at the information desk at the end of the walkway. A map including the garage location and an alternative parking site across the street is attached. We will provide parking vouchers for the garage.