The 6th Case of Kidney Transplant Successfully Performed at ZCH

"It's wonderful that my daughter doesn’t need dialysis anymore. Her skin is lightened, her personality is brightened. Thank you so much for giving my child a second chance of life with a kidney transplant", in the urological ward of the Children’s Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine (ZCH), Miao Miao's mother expressed her gratitude while sorting items for the discharge from hospital.

Miao Miao is a 13-year-old girl. She was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 5 last year, since then, the poor girl needs long-term dialysis treatment. She has to take an extended leave from school when she should have been studying and playing with her peers. As a result of peritoneal dialysis treatment involving the presence of a peritoneal dialysis tube outside her body resembling a small tail protruding from her abdominal cavity, she undergoes nightly dialysis sessions while sleeping to sustain her daily life. Over the years, this once cheerful and smiling girl has gradually become more introverted and quiet.

Dialysis can only provide temporary respite from the disease and significantly disrupt daily life of Miao Miao. Kidney transplantation is the optimal treatment option for her. After learning that ZCH can perform kidney transplant surgery, Miao Miao’s parents decided to do this surgery for the child without hesitation, and joined the kidney transplant bank of the Hospital, waiting for the allocation of suitable kidney sources.

Two months after being registered, Miao Miao finally received a suitable kidney from the National Organ Donation Contribution System, which passed all the necessary tests and met the surgical criteria, ultimately resulting in a successful match.

Miao Miao’s mother, overwhelmed with emotion upon receiving the news, expressed her gratitude for the unexpectedly arrival of the perfect donor. "We had anticipated a lengthy wait, but this outcome is truly remarkable. That day will forever be etched in my memory", she said.

After receiving the news of a successful match, the kidney transplant team at ZCH promptly performed a transplant operation for Miao Miao on the same day. Thanks to the well-established multi-disciplinary consultation system (MDT) and seamless collaboration among various disciplines, including urology, nephrology, anesthesiology, ultrasound, SICU, radiology, genetics and metabolism, nutrition and others; a comprehensive multi-disciplinary organ transplantation consultation (MDT) was conducted prior to Miao Miao's registration. A meticulous surgical plan and postoperative management strategy were initiated for Miao Miao when a suitable donor became available.

The operation proceeded as scheduled under the guidance of Dr. Chen Guangjie, Vice Director of Urology Department, with all preparations in place. It lasted for a duration of three hours and completed successfully. Subsequently, Miao Miao was transferred to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) for post-operative monitoring. The presence of an average hourly urine output of 100ml, accompanied by the continuous excretion of creatinine – a metabolic product indicator of renal function – signifies both the functionality and triumph of the transplant procedure. Notably, on the second day following surgery, her blood creatinine levels decreased from over 1000 pre-operatively to 100.

After anti-infection, anti-rejection, other treatment and nursing care, Miao Miao was discharged with a normal level of blood creatinine. The 13-year-old girl who underwent a successful kidney transplant has regained her cheerful and joyful demeanor, no longer requiring dialysis.

Dr. Mao Jianhua, Vice President of the Hospital, Director of the Renal Urology Center said, “Since August 2023, Zhejiang University has successfully completed six cases of allograft kidney transplantations. Miao Miao is the sixth one. The recent follow-up visits indicate that six pediatric patients all have exhibited excellent postoperative recovery. Kidney transplantation not only significantly enhances their quality of life, but also ensures a promising future for their academic pursuits and overall well-being. Children's organs are relatively smaller and their blood vessels are thinner compared to adult organs, the transplantation procedure for children poses greater challenges. However, the Kidney Transplantation Team of ZCH possesses extensive experience and professional expertise, enabling them to effectively manage perioperative and postoperative issues encountered.”