HIV Infected Organs Used In Transplants

HIV organs were used in NHS transplant making more healthy organs available and bringing fresh hope to thousands of desperate patients on waiting list

13:20 06 May 2016

For the first time, HIV infected organs have been successfully used in NHS transplant, reducing the shortage of donor organs.

 

The NHS’s top transplant doctor, Prof John Forsythe, said: “This will help to reduce the shortage of donor organs.” Deborah Gold, of the National AIDS Trust, said it was “brilliant news for everyone on the organ waiting list”.

 

She added: “Hundreds died while waiting for an organ last year so the more organs available, the more lives saved – not just people with HIV.”

 

In the procedure, four HIV patients were transplanted HIV-infected organs; two got an HIV-infected liver and the other two got a kidney each. The kidney patients are doing well while the outcome of the liver transplants is yet to be revealed.

 

Nikolaos Karydis, who performed the kidney transplants at Guy’s Hospital in central London, said: “It’s incredibly exciting, and a hugely important breakthrough for patients.”

 

“I am very proud to have been part of this big team that got us to this point of being able to do such innovative surgery.”