I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: News Articles => Topic started by: okarol on September 21, 2009, 02:07:35 PM
-
Scientific American Magazine - September 25, 2009
50 Years Ago: Kidney Transplantation
Innovation and discovery as chronicled in past issues of Scientific American
By Daniel C. Schlenoff
OCTOBER 1959
FOUNDER OF KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS— “Identical-twin grafts have demonstrated that where an immunological barrier does not exist kidneys can be successfully transplanted to cure otherwise incurable kid-ney and vascular disease. We transplanted a kidney from a healthy man to his critically uremic brother. Though the men were probably not identical twins, we hoped that their relationship might make for some immunologic compatibility. The recipient was given a total dose of X-rays large enough to depress his reticuloendothelial tissues severely. As the patient’s reticuloendothelial system recovers from the radiation, it may be forced to become familiarized with the antigens and the transplanted kidney. It is as yet too early to evaluate the results of this transplant, but initially it appears to be successful. —John P. Merrill”
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=50-100-150-oct-09&print=true