March 17, 2006

A unique gift exchange

When Robert Krafton, an administrator at a Massachusetts vocational school, first learned that he needed a kidney transplant, many people in his life were ready and willing to help. After his brother was deemed ineligible as a donor for health reasons, Krafton's brother-in-law, Steve Proulx, volunteered to donate his own kidney. Proulx's type B blood, however, was not a match for Krafton's type A.

Across the country in Wisconsin, Becky Borchert and her friend — who wishes to remain anonymous — were experiencing a similar problem. Borchert's friend also needed a kidney transplant, but Borchert's type A blood was incompatible with the type B blood needed for the donor kidney. This problem, however, had a unique and innovative solution. With the help of a new computer program that matches compatible strangers for organ transplantation, surgeons at the MGH were able to successfully transplant Borchert's kidney into Krafton, while another surgical team at New York Presbyterian Hospital removed Proulx's kidney to save the life of Borchert's friend.

The four people found each other through the New England Program for Kidney Exchange (NEPKE), a computer system that matches patients suffering from kidney disease with compatible donors. With the help of the exchange, Krafton's wait for a kidney lasted just under one year. The average wait for a kidney from a non-living donor is five to seven years.

Krafton — who met Borchert two days after the surgery — is incredibly grateful for her gift to him. "It takes a special kind of person to do what Becky did," he says. Borchert, on the other hand, is more modest. "It wasn't a hard decision for me," she says. "I feel great now, and the only thing I won't ever be able to do is donate another kidney."

Tatsuo Kawai, MD, of MGH Surgery, led the surgical team for Borchert's operation while Dicken Ko, MD, surgical director of MGH Renal Transplantation, and Nahel Elias, MD, co-directed the team that transplanted the new kidney into Krafton. "These simultaneous transplants would not have been possible without the great teamwork from everyone at both hospitals," says Ko. "We hope that more people who need transplants will be able to have them with the help of programs like these. Getting the message out is key."

For more information about the exchange program, visit www.nepke.org. To learn more about the MGH's transplantation program, visit www.massgeneral.org/transplant.

Below, Krafton with Borchert