A first-of-its-kind three-way kidney transplant surgery was performed at California Pacific Medical Center on Friday, April 27. This surgery was unique in that it was the first time a three-way paired kidney donation has involved a cross-country element.

The paired donation consisted of three donor/recipient pairs whose blood types were not compatible with each other. This meant that while one person was willing to donate a kidney, the person to whom they wanted to give it was not a suitable match and thus could not receive it. However, using a new computer software program called Silverstone Solutions Matchmaker® that was developed by one of our kidney transplant recipients, doctors at California Pacific were able to match donors with unrelated patients in a three-way donation. Five of the donors/recipients received care at CPMC; the sixth was at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. The incredible teamwork demonstrated by the entire kidney transplant team ensured a successful procedure.

New Method May Shorten Wait Period

In the past, people with kidney failure who did not have a donor match had to wait for a deceased donor in order to get a transplant. In California, the median waiting time for a kidney is five years. Many people can’t wait that long and, on average, five Americans die every day waiting for a kidney to become available.

With more than 73,000 people nationwide waiting for a kidney, this new method could eliminate long waiting periods and help patients find a match. While it won’t be able to find a match for everyone, even if it helps just 20% of those on the waiting list, that means more than 14,000 people could benefit.