Context : First-Ever Cross-Blood Kidney Transplant for Bombay Blood Group
- A 30-year-old patient with the extremely rare Bombay blood group received a kidney transplant from his mother, who had a different blood type.
Relevance : GS 2(health) ,G S 3(Science)
Challenges of the Bombay Blood Group in Transplantation
- The Bombay blood group (HH group) lacks the H antigen, making it impossible to receive blood or organs from any ABO group.
- Only 0.0004% of the global population has this blood type, making donor matches exceedingly rare.
- Even type O blood, considered the universal donor, is incompatible with Bombay blood group patients.
Breakthrough Medical Innovation
- Doctors applied principles from ABO cross-blood transplants, using a Japanese technique called Double Filtration Plasmapheresis (DFPP).
The process involved:
- Measuring anti-H antibodies to determine safe transplantation levels.
- Administering monoclonal antibodies to deplete B cells producing these antibodies.
- Performing plasmapheresis to further reduce antibody levels.
- Using immunosuppressive IVIG therapy to prevent organ rejection.
- No prior medical literature existed on managing anti-H antibodies in transplantation, so doctors had to make assumptions about safe antibody levels.
Successful Surgery & Post-Operative Recovery
- The patient did not require blood transfusion during surgery.
- No signs of organ rejection were observed in the critical first two weeks post-transplant.
- Six months later, the patient has returned to his normal activities.
Implications & Future Prospects
- New Hope for Bombay Blood Group Patients
- The success of this case opens doors for similar transplants worldwide.
- If further studies confirm its viability, Bombay blood group patients may no longer be restricted to only matching blood group donors.
Medical & Research Breakthrough
- A major advancement in transplant medicine, proving that cross-blood transplantation is possible even in ultra-rare cases.
- Sets a precedent for future medical interventions in rare blood group transplants.
Challenges & Further Research Needed
- The lack of prior data means long-term outcomes remain uncertain.
- Future research is needed to refine safe antibody threshold levels for similar procedures.
