Dad becomes one of first in UK to undergo pioneering transplant surgery

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Washington dad becomes one of first in UK to undergo pioneering transplant surgery
15:59, 18 MAY 2016 UPDATED 14:41, 19 MAY 2016
BY CRAIG THOMPSON
Brian Richards received a kidney which previously would not have been deemed suitable for transplantation


A dad from Washington has become one of the first in the UK to receive a life-saving transplant via a pioneering new method.

Brian Richards is today living his life to the full just weeks after undergoing surgery at the Institute of Transplantation, at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.

Brian, 61, was the first patient in the North East to receive an organ via the technique which takes donor kidneys, previously deemed unsuitable for transplant, and assessing whether they can work properly on a specialist perfusion machine outside the body.

It is hoped the new method will increase the number of transplants using organs which, traditionally, were not considered suitable.

Dad-of-two Brian was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease three years ago, an inherited condition in which fluid-filled cysts develop in the kidneys leading to serious organ damage.

Colin Wilson, a transplant surgeon at the Freeman Hospital, carried out Brian’s operation in March this year.

He said: “This is a very exciting development for our patients waiting for a kidney transplant.

“Everything went smoothly with the kidney perfusion and Brian was discharged 10 days after his transplant with no complications.

“His new kidney is working well and he has not required any dialysis since the operation.”

The technique, which warms the kidney to body temperature to assess how well it’s working before a decision on transplantation is made, was developed by Professor Mike Nicholson from the University of Cambridge.

Professor Nicholson is now working closely with the team at the Institute of Transplantation to increase the supply of donor kidneys for transplantation.

This medical advance was made possible by funding from Kidney Research UK, Northern Counties Kidney Research Fund and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

Brian, from Washington, said: “I was the first patient at the Institute of Transplantation to receive a kidney using the perfusion technique.

“I’m feeling really well and full of life. I’ve had no complications following my operation and I’ve not had any rejection of the organ.

“I was not apprehensive about being the first patient in the North East to receive a kidney using the perfusion method as I was told there was a higher chance of the organ working straight away without the need for dialysis.

“I’m over the moon because I did not want to have dialysis as I know this impacts significantly on your life and, therefore, I’m delighted that I have not had to have this.”

There are currently 5,112 people waiting for a new kidney in the UK and last year more than 2,000 patients received a new kidney following the death of the donator.

Brian Richards of Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham, who is living life to the full after a pioneering kidney transplant at Newcastle's Freeman HospitalBrian Richards of Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham, who is living life to the full after a pioneering kidney transplant at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital
Professor Mike Nicholson, Transplant Surgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, said: “Kidneys are normally transported from the donor to the patient waiting for transplant at a temperature of only 4 degrees C in a box with ice where they wait until the surgery is performed.

“The new technique allows the kidney to be warmed to body temperature and tested before a decision about using it for transplant is made. This means that donor kidneys that might previously have be turned down can now be used.

“Outside our work in Cambridge and now in Newcastle, no other centres in the world currently offer this treatment.”

Researchers at Newcastle and Cambridge Universities are working together to improve the availability of all types of organs for transplant with funding from the NIHR to establish a Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Organ Donation and Transplantation.

Elaine Davies, director of Research Operations at Kidney Research UK, said: “We are delighted that the first Newcastle patient has been able to benefit from this ground-breaking approach to kidney transplant.

“This could not have happened without the investment that Kidney Research UK has made in Professor Nicholson’s work over the last decade.

“We are continuing this support through a substantial award to fund a randomised clinical trial and are delighted that the Freeman Hospital’s participation in this is now up and running.”

The Institute of Transplantation harnesses the clinical and research expertise of staff within the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle University and operates as part of the Newcastle Academic Health Partners.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/health/washington-dad-becomes-one-first-11351922