Sun Feb 09 21:52:00 UTC 2025: **Chennai Doctors Perform World-First Cross-Blood Kidney Transplant on Patient with Rare Bombay Blood Group**
CHENNAI, INDIA (February 10, 2025) – Doctors at MIOT International in Chennai have achieved a medical breakthrough by successfully performing the world’s first cross-blood kidney transplant on a patient with the extremely rare Bombay blood group (HH). The 30-year-old recipient, whose identity has not been disclosed, received a kidney from his mother, despite their incompatible blood types.
The Bombay blood group, discovered in Mumbai in 1952, is characterized by the absence of the H antigen, a fundamental building block for the common ABO blood group system. This makes it virtually impossible for individuals with this blood type to receive blood or organ transplants from anyone except another Bombay blood group donor. The prevalence of the Bombay blood group is estimated at only one in four million people.
The surgical team, led by senior nephrologist Dr. Rajan Ravichandran, utilized a technique involving double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) and immunosuppressive therapy to suppress the recipient’s antibodies and prevent organ rejection. This procedure, refined over nearly two decades of experience with cross-blood transplants, required careful monitoring of antibody levels to achieve a safe threshold before the transplant could proceed.
The successful outcome, detailed in a recent publication in *Kidney International Reports*, marks a significant advancement in transplantation surgery. It offers hope for individuals with the Bombay blood group who previously faced insurmountable odds in receiving life-saving organ transplants. Six months post-surgery, the patient is reportedly healthy and has resumed normal activities. This groundbreaking achievement has the potential to transform the treatment of individuals with this rare blood group worldwide.
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