Fifty individuals who had lost hope of ever having the kidney transplants that would save their lives had reason to celebrate on Monday, November 9, 2009 as Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital^* announced a national transplant milestone–its 50th paired kidney exchange transplant. This unprecedented number of exchange transplants at a single center makes this program the busiest paired exchange transplant program in the country.

According to recent research into paired transplants, only a few transplant centers in the U.S. have performed a significant number of these procedures. This innovative program identifies living donors who wish to donate their kidney to a loved one but cannot because of blood or tissue incompatibility.
 
Incompatible pairs are matched with other incompatible pairs, and the donors are exchanged, providing kidney patients with a transplant from a matched donor and a second chance at life. The Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital team performed the first exchange in March 2008 and completed the 50^th procedure just 19 months later, with 42 of the exchange transplants performed in the past 10 months.
 
A news conference was held with many of the kidney recipients and their donors present. Two recipients shared their stories of renewed hope when they found out they might be able to participate in a paired exchange. Both extended tremendous gratitude to the transplant teams and many hospital departments throughout MSTH who contributed to the success of their transplants. Many tears of joy were shed throughout the news conference by patients, their family members, donors, and staff.
 
Texas Transplant Physician Group kidney transplant surgeons serve patients at Texas Transplant Institute^** on the campus of Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital in San Antonio, Texas.
 
Read more about paired kidney exchange transplants in these articles:
 
My SA News: Kidney exchange program marks 50th success
 
SA Health Voices:  A Methodist milestone: 50th paired donor kidney exchange transplant
 
Watch a video featuring paired exchange kidney transplant patients and celebrating a decade of compassionate care and cutting-edge programs: click here.

*A Campus of Methodist Hospital
**A Department of Methodist Hospital