150 Kidney Transplants Completed | Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai
Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai has reached a significant milestone in its kidney transplant programme with the completion of 150 kidney transplant surgeries. The milestone was marked on 11 September 2026 during the hospital's seventh anniversary celebrations, where the transplant team was felicitated by K. Muraleedharan, Minister for Health, Government of Kerala.
Completing 150 kidney transplants represents the development of a comprehensive transplant programme at Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai, bringing evaluation, transplantation and long-term post-transplant care together at one centre in Central Kerala. The milestone also reflects the experience of the multidisciplinary team that has supported patients and donors throughout the transplant journey.
For patients with end-stage kidney disease, transplantation can offer an alternative to long-term dialysis. By developing transplant services at Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai, patients from Kottayam, Idukki and neighbouring districts can access evaluation, surgery and continuing transplant care without having to depend entirely on centres outside the region.
A complete kidney transplant programme
Kidney transplantation involves much more than the transplant surgery itself. At Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai, the transplant pathway brings together donor and recipient evaluation, compatibility testing, surgical care, immunosuppression management and long-term follow up as part of one coordinated programme.
This integrated approach is particularly important because transplant care continues long after surgery. Recipients require regular clinical review, medication management and monitoring throughout the life of the transplanted kidney. Having these services within the same hospital allows patients to continue their follow up with the nephrology and urology teams involved in their care.
Transplant services at Mar Sleeva
The kidney transplant programme at Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai includes different pathways for patients with varying donor-recipient compatibility and clinical needs. The programme has experience in living-donor transplantation, ABO-incompatible transplantation, transplantation for HLA-sensitised patients, donor swap transplantation, and transplantation involving paediatric and geriatric recipients.
Each category requires its own evaluation and clinical considerations. The availability of these pathways within the transplant programme allows donor and recipient assessment to be approached according to their individual circumstances rather than through a single standard pathway.
Types of transplants performed
Live Donor Transplantation
Living-donor kidney transplantation requires careful assessment of both the recipient and the person donating the kidney. At Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai, donor safety and recipient suitability are evaluated before transplantation, with medical, surgical and psychological assessment forming part of the pre-transplant process.
- Complete donor and recipient evaluation on one campus
- Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy where suitable
- Authorisation committee process handled in house
- Structured pre-transplant counselling for donor and recipient
ABO Incompatible Transplantation
A difference in blood group between a potential donor and recipient does not always make kidney transplantation impossible. ABO-incompatible transplantation uses desensitisation and antibody monitoring to address the blood-group incompatibility before and after transplantation.
- Pre-transplant desensitisation
- Plasmapheresis and immunoadsorption protocols
- Antibody titre monitoring before and after surgery
- Tailored immunosuppression following transplantation
HLA Sensitised Transplantation
Some patients have antibodies that can make finding a compatible kidney more difficult. Previous transplantation, blood transfusions and pregnancies can contribute to sensitisation. Mar Sleeva's transplant programme includes evaluation and management of such patients as part of its transplant pathways.
- Detailed HLA typing and antibody screening
- Desensitisation before transplantation where indicated
- Monitoring for antibody-mediated rejection
- Long-term immunological follow up
Donor Swap Transplantation
When a willing donor is medically suitable but incompatible with the intended recipient, donor swap or paired exchange transplantation can provide another route to transplantation. An incompatible donor-recipient pair can be matched with another compatible pair so that both recipients can receive a suitable kidney.
- Paired exchange matching between donor-recipient pairs
- Legal and authorisation process managed by the hospital
- Coordinated scheduling of transplant procedures
- Counselling for participating donors and recipients
Paediatric and Geriatric Transplantation
Kidney transplantation in children and older adults requires assessment that takes age-related clinical considerations into account. The transplant programme at Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai includes pathways for both paediatric and geriatric recipients, with evaluation and follow up adapted to their individual needs.
- Paediatric transplant protocols with growth and development monitoring
- Age-adjusted immunosuppression and dosing
- Cardiac and vascular assessment for older recipients
- Family-centred counselling and long-term follow up
Multidisciplinary care behind every transplant
A kidney transplant is a coordinated effort involving multiple clinical and support disciplines. The 150-transplant milestone reflects the combined work of nephrologists, urologists, transplant anaesthetists, intensivists, transfusion medicine specialists, transplant coordinators, dialysis technicians and nursing teams.
From donor and recipient evaluation to surgery, intensive care, immunosuppression and follow up, each stage requires close coordination between teams. The transplant programme brings these disciplines together around a common clinical pathway, with patient safety and continuity of care at every stage.
A milestone for transplant care in Central Kerala
The completion of 150 kidney transplants is also significant in the context of access to specialised transplant care in Central Kerala. Patients and families from Kottayam, Idukki and surrounding districts can access a kidney transplant programme closer to home, reducing the need to travel to distant centres for every stage of transplant-related care.
For Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai, the milestone is therefore not simply a measure of procedures completed. It represents the establishment and continued development of a transplant service capable of supporting patients from evaluation through transplantation and lifelong follow up.
Recognising the transplant team
The 150-kidney-transplant milestone was formally recognised during Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai's seventh anniversary celebrations, where the transplant team was felicitated by K. Muraleedharan, Minister for Health, Government of Kerala.
The recognition acknowledged the multidisciplinary team whose coordinated clinical work has contributed to the development of the kidney transplant programme at Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai and to reaching this milestone.
Frequently asked questions
How many kidney transplants has Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai completed?
Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai has completed 150 kidney transplant surgeries. The milestone was marked on 11 September 2026 during the hospital's seventh anniversary celebrations, where the transplant team was felicitated.
What types of kidney transplant are performed at Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai?
The kidney transplant programme includes living-donor transplantation, ABO-incompatible transplantation, transplantation for HLA-sensitised patients, donor swap or paired exchange transplantation, and transplantation for paediatric and geriatric recipients.
Can kidney transplantation be performed when the donor and recipient have different blood groups?
ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation can be considered when a donor and recipient have incompatible blood groups. The transplant pathway includes desensitisation and antibody monitoring to address the blood-group incompatibility.
What is HLA-sensitised kidney transplantation?
HLA-sensitised patients have antibodies that may make it more difficult to find a compatible donor kidney. Their transplant evaluation can include HLA typing, antibody screening, desensitisation where indicated and immunological monitoring.
What is donor swap transplantation?
Donor swap, or paired exchange transplantation, is an option for an incompatible donor-recipient pair. The donor can be matched with another recipient while the original recipient is matched with the other donor, allowing compatible kidney exchanges between the participating pairs.
Is kidney transplant follow-up available at Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai?
Yes. The kidney transplant programme includes post-transplant immunosuppression management and long-term follow up through the nephrology and urology teams at Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai.
How can I begin a kidney transplant evaluation at Mar Sleeva Medicity Palai?
A kidney transplant evaluation begins with a nephrology consultation. The transplant team can then guide the donor and recipient through the required medical evaluation, compatibility assessment and other steps involved in the transplant process.
