AINU Doctors Transplant Man’s Own Kidney, Use Appendix to Restore Urinary Function

Hyderabad: Doctors at the Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology (AINU) in Hyderabad successfully saved both kidneys of a 65-year-old man suffering from a rare and life-threatening condition—by transplanting one of his own kidneys to a new position in his body and using his appendix to replace a damaged ureter on the other side.

The patient, hailing from West Bengal, developed severe complications following a routine kidney stone removal procedure (RIRS) performed elsewhere in 2023. Post-surgery, both his ureters—the tubes that carry urine from kidneys to the bladder—became completely blocked, causing a life-threatening rise in creatinine levels, intense pain, and recurrent fever.

For the right kidney, the surgical team used a highly unconventional method: they repurposed the patient’s own appendix to replace the blocked ureter. The appendix, being similar in size to the ureter, was meticulously repositioned using robotic-assisted surgery—a rarely performed but scientifically documented technique known as appendix interposition.

Following the procedure, the right kidney resumed normal function, and the external drainage tube was successfully removed.

Two months later, the left kidney still remained compromised. Since the appendix exists only on the right side and other alternatives like intestinal interposition posed complications, the surgical team opted for a bold, rarely attempted solution: renal autotransplantation.

In this complex procedure, the patient’s left kidney was surgically removed along with its blood vessels, then reimplanted lower down in the abdomen, bypassing the diseased ureter and allowing natural urine flow into the healthy segment.

The patient is leading a normal life. His kidney function is stable, his creatinine levels are within the normal range, and he is completely free from pain or complications.