Unlike traditional liver transplants involving direct family donors, a swap transplant allows two families with incompatible donors to exchange matches, enabling successful transplants for both patients
Published Jul 20, 2025 | 11:22 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 20, 2025 | 11:22 AM
Synopsis: In a landmark medical achievement, India’s first inter-hospital liver swap transplant was successfully performed on July 3, 2025, in Coimbatore. Two patients with end-stage liver failure — one from Salem admitted at Gem Hospital and another from Tiruppur admitted at Sri Ramakrishna Hospital — received life-saving transplants through a donor swap involving their blood group-incompatible but willing wives
In a medical marvel that sounds straight out of a cinematic script, two patients battling end-stage liver failure and their two courageous wives willing to donate became the central figures in India’s first-ever inter-hospital liver swap transplant.
The groundbreaking procedure was successfully executed on 3 July, 2025, through a joint effort between Gem Hospital and Sri Ramakrishna Hospital in Coimbatore, marking a historic medical feat that required unprecedented inter-institutional cooperation.
The patients — a 59-year-old man from Salem admitted at Gem Hospital and a 53-year-old man from Tiruppur admitted at Sri Ramakrishna Hospital — were both in dire need of liver transplants. Their respective wives were willing to donate, but blood group incompatibility ruled out direct donation.
In a rare stroke of opportunity, doctors identified that a ‘swap transplant’ — where the donor of each patient gives to the other — was the only viable solution.
Unlike conventional living donor liver transplantation, where a relative donates directly to the patient, a swap transplant enables patients who do not have a compatible donor within their own family to exchange donors with another family in a similar situation.
This approach expands the donor pool and offers new hope to patients with end-stage liver disease who would otherwise remain on long waiting lists or have no viable curative treatment option.
What makes this case historic is not just the medical complexity, but that the swap occurred across two different hospitals — a scenario never before attempted in India for liver transplants.
“This required navigating a host of legal, ethical, and logistical challenges,” said Dr. C. Palanivelu, Founder and Chairman of Gem Hospitals. “We had to obtain special clearance from the Tamil Nadu State Transplant Authority to transport the organ from one hospital to the other.”
“We also had to ensure synchronized surgeries and establish a real-time communication protocol between both hospitals,” he added.
Dr. P. Praveen Raj, Director of Gem Hospitals, explained the legal complexities: “Swap transplants are already regulated under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act 2014, but inter-hospital coordination added new layers of scrutiny. We had to present detailed consent forms, cross-institutional MOUs, and continuous ethical oversight.”
On the day of the transplant, both hospitals performed the surgeries simultaneously in two different operation theatres located five kilometers apart.
“Real-time video feeds were established to monitor surgical progress and coordinate liver retrieval and transplantation. Dedicated ambulances equipped with cold chain systems were kept on standby. Both donors and recipients remained in their respective hospitals throughout, making this a true logistical marvel,” said Dr. N. Anand Vijay, Liver Transplant Surgeon at Gem Hospital.
R. Sundar, Managing Trustee of Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, praised the achievement: “Tamil Nadu has long been recognized for its exceptional healthcare infrastructure, and this milestone stands as a true testament to TN’s medical excellence.”
“The highly skilled medical teams from both hospitals undertook this complex procedure with great precision and dedication. Their tireless efforts have led to a remarkable success, and I am extremely pleased to note that both patients are recovering well,” he said.
Both hospitals extended their gratitude to the Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu (TRANSTAN) for granting timely approval and supporting this life-saving initiative.
The successful procedure opens new possibilities for patients across India who previously had limited options for liver transplantation, potentially saving countless lives in the future.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
