A 47-year-old man has come out on top of a rare third kidney transplant, in which he now has a total of five kidneys. The transplant was carried out at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, giving Devendra Barlewar a new lease on life after a struggle with chronic kidney disease for 15 years.

Barlewar had previously undergone two kidney transplants in 2010 and 2012, both of which failed. His condition deteriorated further following complications from COVID-19 in 2022. However, hope emerged when the family of a 50-year-old brain-dead farmer decided to donate his kidneys, paving the way for this extraordinary surgery.

The intricate four-hour surgery was particularly challenging because of Barlewar's pre-existing four non-functioning kidneys—his two original and the two previously transplanted. As per Dr. Ahmed Kamaal, Senior Consultant, Urology, these multiple pre-existing kidneys increased the risk of immune rejection, necessitating a special immunosuppression protocol prior to the procedure.

Dr. Anil Sharma, another Senior Consultant Urology at Amrita Hospital, explained the challenges encountered during surgery. “We faced space constraints due to the patient’s thin build and an existing incisional hernia,” he explained. “Since previous surgeries had already used the standard blood vessels, we had to connect the new kidney to the largest abdominal blood vessels, making it a highly intricate procedure.”

In spite of the difficulties, the operation proved to be successful. Barlewar was sent home within ten days with stable kidney function. Dr. Sharma assured that his creatinine levels returned to normal within two weeks, enabling him to live without  dialysis for the first time in years.

Looking back at his journey, Barlewar thanked the doctors and staff. “I had lost hope after two failed transplants,” he said. “Dialysis had severely restricted my life, but Amrita Hospital gave me another chance when no one else did.”

Presently, Barlewar is independent in his daily activities, and his health as a whole has greatly recovered. 

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