MADRID, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Two patients, one from Spain and the other from Italy accomplished the first international crossed kidney transplant on Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Health, Consumption and Welfare of Spain.
"A patient in Spain and another in Italy received two kidney transplant surgeries from two living donors, thanks to the exchange of organs between their respective donors. Donors and recipients are in perfect condition and have already been discharged", the National Organization of Transplants (ONT) said.
Both kidney extractions and transplants were performed on July 19th at the Fundacion Puigvert in Barcelona, Spain, an important center in crossed kidney transplant, and another at the Ospedale Cisanello in Pisa, Italy.
The crossed renal transplant program is based on the exchange of living kidney donors between two or more couples.
The objective is to offer patients with chronic renal failure the possibility of receiving a live donor graft, even when their partner or family member are incompatible.
This type of transplants involves a complicated logistics process, which is even more complicated under such an international context.
It has required "total collaboration between the central offices of national transplant organizations in Spain and Italy", according to the ONT.
The first crossed kidney transplant was carried out in Spain in July 2009.
"Since then, 194 transplants of this type have been performed in our country within the national program", ONT said.
The crossed renal transplant is a highly developed therapeutic modality completed in certain countries.
Spain is the world leader in donation and transplant: 5,250 transplants were performed last year.
