The patient faced life-threatening complications after a 2023 kidney stone procedure, with both ureters blocked—causing severe infections, high creatinine levels indicating kidney failure, and relentless pain
Published Apr 23, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Apr 23, 2025 | 7:00 AM
Kidneys. (iStock)
Synopsis: In a groundbreaking surgery, doctors at Hyderabad’s AINU saved both kidneys of a 65-year-old man by relocating one kidney within his body and using his appendix to replace a damaged ureter. The patient, from West Bengal, was in critical condition after both ureters were blocked following a 2023 procedure. Multiple hospitals had refused treatment before AINU’s successful intervention
In a rare and extraordinary medical feat, doctors at the Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology (AINU), Hyderabad, have managed to save both kidneys of a 65-year-old man by using two highly innovative procedures—one of which involved transplanting his own kidney to a different part of his body, and the other, using his appendix to replace a damaged tube.
The patient, from West Bengal, had been suffering serious complications after a routine kidney stone procedure in 2023. Both his ureters—the pipes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder—were completely blocked, leading to severe infections, dangerously high creatinine levels (a sign of kidney failure), and constant pain.
By the time he reached AINU, the man’s condition was critical. Several hospitals had turned him away due to the complexity of his case.
To save the right kidney, doctors used a rarely performed but ingenious technique: they took the patient’s appendix and used it to replace the damaged ureter. While this idea has been explored in medical literature, it is hardly ever done in practice. The team used robotic-assisted surgery to carefully connect the appendix between the kidney and the bladder.
“This is one of the most creative and minimally invasive ways to fix a long blockage in the ureter,” said Dr. Syed Md Ghouse, Senior Consultant Robotic Surgeon at AINU said in a statement. “It’s not commonly done, but in his case, it was the ideal solution.”
Thanks to the procedure, the right kidney began functioning normally again, and the external drainage tube was removed.
Two months later, the left kidney was still not functioning properly. Since the appendix had already been used and other options were risky, the doctors turned to a rare procedure: renal autotransplantation. This involved removing the kidney from its usual spot and placing it lower in the body, where it could connect to healthy tissues and drain urine properly.
“We basically gave the kidney a new home inside the same body,” explained Dr. Vijay Kumar Sarma Madduri, Consultant Urologist. “It’s a complex and high-precision surgery, used only as a last resort, and done in very few centers across the world.”
Today, the man is living a normal life. His kidney function is stable, creatinine levels are healthy, and he no longer experiences pain or discomfort.
“What makes this case so unique is that we used two different, rarely performed surgical techniques—appendix interposition and renal autotransplantation—to save both kidneys,” said Dr. C. Mallikarjuna, Managing Director and Chief Consultant Urologist at AINU. “Auto-transplants have been done for decades—we’ve done several back in the 1980s and 1990s. But using the appendix like this is a new experience.”
The medical team behind this success included Dr. C Mallikarjuna, Dr. Syed Md. Ghouse, Dr. Vijay Kumar Sarma Madduri, Dr. Taif Bendegeri, and supporting doctors Dr. Karthik and Dr. Asit.
This case is a shining example of how out-of-the-box thinking and surgical innovation can turn a seemingly hopeless situation into a story of complete recovery.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
