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Complete situs inversus - is it a contraindication for organ donation?
Ganesh Baliram Sonawane1, Krishna H Moorthy1, Biju S Pillai1
1Department of Urology, Lourdes Hospital, Kochi, Kerala, India.
Summary
Situs inversus totalis, a rare condition where organs are mirrored, is not an absolute barrier to living kidney donation. Careful surgical planning allows successful donor nephrectomy in these unique cases.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Transplant Surgery
- Medical Genetics
Background:
- Complete situs inversus (SI) is a rare congenital condition characterized by the complete transposition of thoracic and abdominal organs.
- SI is often considered a contraindication for organ donation due to anatomical complexities.
Observation:
- A 21-year-old male, with no significant past medical history, volunteered for living-unrelated renal donation.
- Pre-donation evaluation revealed the patient had complete situs inversus.
Findings:
- The patient successfully underwent a right donor nephrectomy despite having complete SI.
- The surgical planning and kidney selection were meticulously managed.
Implications:
- This case demonstrates that complete SI does not necessarily preclude living kidney donation.
- Careful pre-operative assessment and surgical strategy can enable successful renal donation in individuals with complete SI.
- This broadens the potential donor pool for kidney transplantation.
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