Transplant surgery cancelled

[george40]

Hello all, my transplant story has taken a turn. We had a scheduled surgery date of May 14, 2010 (soon right?) Well, believe it or not we get a call today that the hospital board felt my donor was borderline pre-hypertensive. hmmmm So, they cancelled the transplant. Note, the surgeons all signed off on the transplant, however the board is fighting them. I keep being told the board here is old school and very conservative. So, I met another patient today at clinic who had similar problems at the same hospital. She is being transplanted in may at Hume-Lee Transplant Center in Va.

I called Hume-Lee today and they were very nice and said they would look at my case and grant a second opinion and that the donor issue may not be an issue there. I was wondering if any of IHD family had any info on hume-lee transplant center in Richmond VA. Do they have a good reputation or no? Thanks for all your help.

[okarol]

I don't have any info but just wanted to give you a HUG. 

[kellyt]

   Hang in there.  Hopefully it will all get worked out.

[Sunny]

Controlled borderline hypertension does not automatically disqualify a would-be donor. It depends on the hospital. Current studies (per my transplant hospital), show people like this who are otherwise healthy are not anymore at risk for kidney health problems than normal, as long as they control their blood pressure with meds. One of my potential donors has controlled borderline hypertension.The hospital told her if she can show she can control her blood pressure over a long period of time, and they have checked her medical records, and if she is otherwise healthy, she could qualify as a donor to me. Of course, she hasn't gone through all the physical health tests yet, so I can't confirm yet whether they actually allow her.I suggest trying the other hospital and getting your donor tested there. If your donor still doesn't meet requirements, then it is probably for the best.

[kellyt]

Controlled borderline hypertension does not automatically disqualify a would-be donor. It depends on the hospital. Current studies (per my transplant hospital), show people like this who are otherwise healthy are not anymore at risk for kidney health problems than normal, as long as they control their blood pressure with meds. One of my potential donors has controlled borderline hypertension.The hospital told her if she can show she can control her blood pressure over a long period of time, and they have checked her medical records, and if she is otherwise healthy, she could qualify as a donor to me. Of course, she hasn't gone through all the physical health tests yet, so I can't confirm yet whether they actually allow her.I suggest trying the other hospital and getting your donor tested there. If your donor still doesn't meet requirements, then it is probably for the best.

That was an immediate denial at my clinic.  My clinic was extremely picky to begin with.  Being that the kidneys do help control blood pressure there is no way they would have allowed it.  But Sunny is absolutely correct - it does depend on the clinic.  It amazed me the differences in clinic criteria.

[paul.karen]

Sorry to read this.  From Happy to WTF.

Is this board made up of doctors or just advisors i wonder.  I mean truly if all the doctors that were going to do the transplant felt fine why did the board interfer.??

[george40]

thank you all for your support and replies.

@PK according to the donors doctor and surgeon the board is full of older drs. and administrators and they get caught up in political fights. An example of them just coming into modern times, they just came around to allowing non-related people become donors.

@ Kellyt - it is really amazaing how the criteria changes from place to place.

[kellyt]

There are physicians on the "committee" for sure, cause the head doctor at my clinic is on the "committee", as well as my post transplant doctor.  When they sent my husband to the "committee" my post transplant doctor was pushing for him.  Apparently he had a lot of calcium in his urine which could possibly, maybe, someday develop into kidney stones.  My post transplant doctor was saying that if he drinks a lot of water, and he does, that the stones might never develop or even pass at a very small stage.  But they denied him anyway.

I transplanted at Christus Santa Rosa Transplant Clinic/Hospital.  Had I gone through Methodist Hospital or even University Hospital my first donor tested (my brother) would have been accepted.  He was deemed healthy by their standards, but not by Christus.    I'm not complaining though.  I do believe I got the kidney I was supposed to get.  So far so good.  You have to believe, I guess.  Easy for me to say cause I was never on dialysis.