In a groundbreaking medical advancement, eight-year-old Indian-origin girl Aditi Shankar has achieved a remarkable milestone as the first child to undergo a unique kidney transplant procedure in the United Kingdom that eliminates the need for long-term anti-rejection drugs.
Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital hailed this procedure as a momentous breakthrough in the realm of medical science. This achievement was made possible by reprogramming Aditi’s immune system prior to the kidney transplant.
To reprogram her immune system, doctors utilized bone marrow stem cells derived from the donor, who happened to be Aditi’s mother, Divya.
Following several weeks after the transplant, Aditi was gradually weaned off immunosuppressive drugs, significantly reducing the risk of enduring long-term side effects often associated with these potent medications used to prevent organ rejection.
Today, Aditi has resumed attending school, with both her transplanted kidney and immune system functioning normally.
Aditi had been grappling with a remarkably rare inherited condition known as Schimke’s immuno-osseous dysplasia (SIOD), which severely compromised her immune system and led to kidney failure.
The initial step in her treatment involved a bone marrow transplant, where stem cells from her mother were employed to reconstruct her immune system.
Six months later, Aditi underwent a kidney transplant, again generously donated by her mother. This time, her immune system seamlessly accepted the new organ.
Reflecting on the experience, Divya expressed her immense happiness at being able to provide her daughter with blood cells and a kidney, stating that she felt a deep sense of pride.
Aditi herself described the procedure as entering “a special sleep” for the surgery and expressed her excitement at the newfound opportunities it has afforded her, such as swimming.
Children’s kidney specialist at GOSH, Prof. Stephen Marks, affirmed the success of Aditi’s treatment, underscoring the significance of her case. He noted that she is the first patient in the UK to undergo a kidney transplant without needing immunosuppressive medication post-surgery. This means that she is spared the side effects associated with such drugs, and she now enjoys an active and fulfilling life as a typical eight-year-old girl, back in school and experiencing an excellent quality of life.
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