A 23-year-old became the first Emirati to undergo a kidney transplant successfully, even though the donor — his mother — and he have different blood groups.
Hamad Nasser’s blood is the unusual O negative, and his mother is in the A plus blood group. The operation was performed in December and so far there have been no signs of rejection, Hamad’s doctors said.
An O negative patient can receive an organ only from an O negative donor. However people who are O negative can donate an organ to people of any other blood group.
The young Emirati said he was feeling fine and would return to his studies at Al Ain University.
“He has one course left,” said his mother, Qadria Al Malik.
Transplant nephrologist Dr Mustafa Ahmad Kazim said this should encourage others who have incompatible blood groups to come forward to donate organs.
He said Hamad was given a special injection which depleted the antibodies and helped “accommodate” the mother’s kidney.
“Usually, antibodies immediately start destroying the ‘A’ cells,” he said.
Many people who had an O blood type suffered from renal failure, he said.
The reason for kidney failure was either diabetes, high blood pressure or childhood defects, he said.
“This opens the doors to loved ones who wish to give their kidneys [and earlier could not],” he said.
The transplant operation was done in Barcelona, Spain, and was managed by Dr Kazim and Dr Saeed Salem Al Shaikh, transplant director at City Hospital.
It had to be done abroad as the Barcelona Hospital had the special machine to remove Hamad’s anti-bodies, the doctors said.
Qadria said she had been advised to follow a certain diet and health regime and to watch her weight.
Dr Kazim said she and Hamad would be able to lead normal live.
By Mahmood Saberi
Gulf News