From correspondents in Gujarat, India, 12:45 PM IST
Ahmedabad - A doctor in Gujarat claims he has pioneered a technique of kidney transplantation using human embryonic stem cells that not only overcomes the problem of organ rejection but also cuts treatment cost dramatically.
Researchers across the world have been grappling with the problem of rejection of the kidney transplanted in the recipient. To overcome this situation, patients are given strong immunosuppressants that leave them vulnerable to infections as they lower immunity.
However, H.L. Trivedi of the Civil Hospital here says his procedure does away with the need of immunosuppressants, thus lowering the cost of the transplantation.
The treatment cost comes down to Rs.100,000 ($2,100) from the present about Rs.1 million ($21,600). Expenditure on subsequent maintenance is also reduced from around Rs.15,000 to a mere Rs.300.
'Though work is going on in Harvard, Stanford and Pittsburgh, we are the first in the world to use human embryonic stem cells to generate new equivalent cells in laboratory,' Trivedi, director of the Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Centre at the hospital, told IANS.
Human embryonic stem cells have the ability to develop into any other cell produced in the human body. Thus they have the potential to treat a range of diseases including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, spinal cord injuries and burns.
Kidney failure has emerged as the third most common killer across the world after cancer and heart diseases.
The technique used by Trivedi and his team of doctors comprising Vineet Mishra, Aruna Vanikar, Pranjal Modi and Veena Shah has given a new lease of life to 20 patients not only from India but also Nigeria and Kenya and the US who are afflicted with kidney failure, he said.
The procedure essentially entails growing in the laboratory human embryonic stem cells that have been derived from the female who is donating the kidney. These stem cells are then co-cultured with the same person's bone marrow cells. This gives them 'direction' to develop into bone marrow cells.
These cells are then infused into the recipient's liver and protect the kidney from rejection when it is transplanted. Patients can resume normal activity within 10 days of the operation.
Ten-year-old Riya Patel, Trivedi's youngest patient, bears witness to the efficacy of the procedure. With both her kidneys having failed, her US-based parents approached several doctors in Nadiad of Kheda district, adjoining Ahmedabad, where their relatives came to know about Trivedi.
'Our anxiety vanished after we talked to Dr. Trivedi,' said Riya's mother Kavita, who donated her kidney to her daughter. Riya was operated upon June 1 and has recovered well. 'Riya is active like other children and all her reports are normal,' said her parents, who hope to soon take their daughter with them to the US.
Nalin, 34, too had consulted many doctors after his kidneys failed. Now, a fortnight after his operation, the welder from the coastal town of Porbander in western Gujarat said he was feeling fine.
'He could not even walk before. But now he is able to move about,' said his wife Jyoti who donated her kidney for the transplant. 'Doctor sahe
b is like god for us,' she said.
Ikram came here from Ajmer in neighbouring Rajasthan and was operated upon three weeks back. 'I am very thankful to the doctors for curing me,' said Ikram, 37, who works in a general store.
Hemant, 29, a driver in the Kutch collectorate in northwestern Gujarat too underwent a successful transplant about five weeks back.
Trivedi, who returned to India from Canada in 1977 with the dream of developing an affordable treatment for kidney failure, has treated about 800 patients since his first transplant in 1998.
Most Recent Comments
i am suffering from renal failure.so can you plz send me dr trivedi's contact number or his address.thanks
My younger sister of 32 yrs. suffering from kidney failure, now she is on dialysis,My mother wants to donate her kidney but my mother is of 63 years of age and having blood presure since last 20 years. can she is eligible to donate her kidney with this age and problem, if yes then pls. tell what should be the transplantation cost ,Please reply soon.
My husband needs urgent kidney transplant.Pl let me know the details of stem cell technology of Dr Trevedi.
i have lost my mother & my 2 sisters due to renal failure. now my younger sister is suffring from same.please mail me the complete details of the treatment(stem cell therapy) along with the costs.also,please let me know what are other options in India and in asia for stem cell therapy for kidney failure.Please reply urgently.
Hi Im suffering from chronic renal failue the doctor hs remmended me for kidney trnsplantation which i not very happy with i want to know ith kidney trnsplntaion and with the help of stem cell can i led a norml life because to tell a fct i m not so rich who cn afford this ples help me nd plese send me complete pckage cost with or without kidney trnsplant .
If the stem cell application for kidney problem succeeds (maybe after perfection of the techniques wherever needed), the success can have a sea-change in regard to the racketeering in kidney transplants which involves healthy kidney removal from poor or careless patients operated by some rascal doctors.This likely impact, as well as the increasing misery leading to death of kidney patients with no effective treatment, make Dr's new technique one for watch and wide introduction.
The reported news reads positive, and going by the several responses in this comments column, there is likely to be eager and welcome reception to stem cell application for remedying kidney disorders, and all assistance, if and as necessary to the Gujarat doctor, is deserved from our government/s and medical research institutions, so that the technique efficacy is verified and if necessary,technique is modified/refined.URGENCY IS OF THE ESSENCE.
Soumitra you can contact IKDRC at ikdrcad1@sancharnet.in let me know if you need more information
My brother in law is suffereing from CKD (Grade - 5) and needs immediate kidney transplantation. I would like to have Dr. Trivedi's contact number / mail ID, so that we can contact him. Matter is very very urgent. Best Regards
kidney transplant using stem cell is done at IKDRC ahmeadbad. Total cost is nearly 4.5 to 5 lakh. Result of this technique is very promising.
After transplant person can start his normal life after 10 days.
i give you my kedney
My brother of 26 yrs is needs kidney transplantation, near relatives are not matching.Can any one tell me how could i get Kidney to transplant.
My brother is suffering from Chronic Renal Failure.I've heard aboutt dr Trivedi's stem cell technique and would like to have his contact number as soon as possible.Kindly mail me his contact details. Thanks a lot..!!its pretty urgent..
My husband taking dialysis since 4 yrs. Can he be cured with stem cell technique. please give your contact details, so that i can see Gujarat Dr, & his medical team.
can stem cells treatment avoid dialysis/kidney transplantation where kedney got damaged around 80%
my mother is sufering from kidney disorder.dr aacharya from nagpur has suggested her to kidney transplant'but he says that he dosent know enough about this.her condition is very critical bcoz she needs dialasis every week.may i have ur contact number or address as soon as possible? thank u
my mom is suffering from acute kidney failure and is very serious.please mail me the complete details of the treatment(stem cell therapy) along with the costs.also,please let me know what are other options in India and Abroad for stem cell therapy for kidney failure.Please reply urgently.My ph.no. - +919980500911 or
+919986049375.
I am 66 years old and had my transplanted kidney rejected about 3 years ago. I am now on dialysis 3 times a week. Is there any possibility of another transplant with the embroynic stem cell technique?
We are facing the kidney problem since two years. We are doing dialysis twice in week. We would like to know about the treatment.
My aunt is going for dialysis twice a week and now she is very weak. Both her kidneys are shrinked.Is there any permanent cure?
i would like to know whether donor can be male or female.
i am reseaching for different options. i need a kidney transplant and i would like a stem cell transplant. i have been telling my doctor about this, but he says he doesnt know enough about this. how do i get in contact with u? please eamil me info on this..
I am having chronic renal disorder I am from Malaysia and would like to know about this treatment. Thank you
I am having renal disorder I am from Bangalore and would like to know about this treatment. Thank you
The article on Dr Trivedi's kidney transplant has shown a light of hope to many people, including me that post transplant, kidney would not be rejected and life will be back to normal
Your article on the breakthrough in Stem Cell therapy by Dr. Trivedi and his team made me very proud.
Your opinion poll on " Do you still think that Mumbai is the rudest city in the world? " is shallow and the results "Yes... I guess: 34%No!: 38%Mumbai is the best!: 28% " wouldn't be inconclusive, pointless and baseless....... if the people voting have visited many other cities in the world.
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