Doctors at Max Hospital, Lucknow Successfully Perform Complex Kidney Transplant on HIV-Positive Patient
The patient, who was diagnosed with HIV in 2018, experienced a gradual deterioration in kidney function over the years and eventually developed end-stage renal disease. Since 2023, he had been undergoing regular dialysis. Despite being on consistent antiretroviral therapy, the patient struggled to find a suitable transplant centre, as several hospitals were reluctant to undertake the procedure due to its medical complexity.
In January 2026, the patient was referred to the transplant team at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Lucknow. A multidisciplinary team comprising Dr. Venkatesh Thammishetti along with Dr. Rahul Yadav and Dr. Adittya Kumar Sharma carried out a detailed evaluation and designed a carefully coordinated treatment plan. This included optimisation of the patient’s HIV therapy to ensure compatibility with post-transplant immunosuppressive treatment.
The patient’s wife volunteered as the donor, and after successful compatibility testing, the transplant surgery was carried out successfully. The patient showed stable recovery after surgery, was discharged within a week, and no longer requires dialysis.
Commenting on the case, Dr. Venkatesh Thammishetti said, “Managing transplantation in patients with co-existing conditions such as HIV requires close coordination across specialties and careful clinical planning. With appropriate protocols and monitoring, such procedures can be performed safely with positive outcomes.”
The surgical team led by Dr. Rahul Yadav and Dr. Adittya Kumar Sharma confirmed that the patient is steadily returning to normal life while continuing on a closely monitored regimen of immunosuppressive and antiretroviral medications. Both the donor and recipient are reported to be in good health.
This successful transplant highlights the growing clinical expertise in handling complex transplant cases and opens new avenues of treatment for patients who were previously considered high-risk candidates for organ transplantation