Mr. Parra’s kidneys were failing due to diabetes and without a transplant, he soon would have to go on dialysis. While dialysis is lifesaving, it is time-consuming, fatiguing and can cause complications such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and infections.
The transplant enabled Mr. Parra, 72, of Bridgeview, Illinois, to avoid dialysis, and now he feels great. “If I was any happier, I would need a twin to share it,” he said.
In exchange for the donation, Mr. Parra’s wife Paula agreed to donate a kidney to a patient she matched – Vitalii Stasiuk, 34, of Franklin Park, Illinois.
Mr. Stasiuk had been on dialysis for nearly a year after his kidneys failed due to a disease called IgA nephropathy. Mr. Stasiuk’s mother, Svitlana Gotska, wanted to donate to her son, but her kidneys were too small. So she paid it forward by donating a kidney to Irene Zapata, 61, of Chicago, who was on dialysis after her kidneys failed due to diabetes.
“I am very grateful for this new opportunity of life,” Ms. Zapata said. “I feel like a new person.”
The kidney exchange involved three operating rooms and three surgical teams. At 7:30 am, August 10, surgeons began removing a kidney from each donor. They used minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques that result in small incisions, less pain, and faster recovery. After the kidneys were removed from each donor, the recipients were brought in for their surgeries.
Diego di Sabato, MD, removed a kidney from Ms. Thede and transplanted it into Mr. Parra. Amy Lu, MD, removed a kidney from Ms. Parra and transplanted it into Mr. Stasiuk. Paul Kuo, MD, removed a kidney from Ms. Gotska and Dr. Garcia Roca transplanted the organ into Ms. Zapata. Dr. Garcia Roca also oversaw the operations.
“Loyola has the resources and experience to successfully complete such a complex and challenging endeavor,” Dr. Garcia Roca said.
Loyola offers the highest level of integrated care for patients with kidney disease and kidney failure who are candidates for transplants. Loyola takes on the most challenging cases, including patients who have been turned down by other centers.
Loyola’s multidisciplinary team includes transplant nephrologists, transplant surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurse coordinators, nurse practitioners, procurement nurses, transplant chaplains, infectious disease specialists, physical therapists, dietitians, financial coordinators, clinical pharmacists, social workers, and psychologists.