Doctors at KIMS Hospital, Kurnool achieved a significant medical milestone by successfully performing an ABO-incompatible kidney transplant on a 28-year-old patient. The procedure gave the young man a new lease of life and demonstrated the advanced transplant capabilities now available in the Rayalaseema region. Notably, the patient’s father donated his kidney despite having an incompatible blood group.
Young Patient Diagnosed with Kidney Failure
Madhu Krishna (28), a resident of Allugundu village in Veldurthi mandal of Kurnool district, was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2025. Considering his young age, doctors strongly recommended a kidney transplant as the most effective treatment option.
However, the transplant presented a major challenge. Madhu Krishna has A positive blood group, while his father Gorantla has AB positive blood group. Under normal circumstances, such a mismatch makes transplantation extremely difficult. As a result, the family consulted several hospitals in Kurnool and Hyderabad but was informed that the procedure could not be performed due to the blood group incompatibility.
KIMS Team Takes Up the Challenging Case
In November 2025, the family approached KIMS Hospital, Kurnool, where they consulted Dr. K. Anantha Rao, Consultant Nephrologist and Transplant Physician. After conducting a detailed medical evaluation, the team decided to proceed with an ABO-incompatible kidney transplant, a complex procedure that requires specialized preparation and expertise.
Following several weeks of advanced pre-transplant treatments, the surgical team successfully performed the transplant on February 13, 2026.
Patient Recovers Well After Surgery
As per the press release, the patient responded well to the treatment and showed steady recovery after the surgery. Doctors discharged him from the hospital on February 21, 2026. Currently, he remains in stable condition, and his serum creatinine level is 1 mg/dl, indicating healthy kidney function.
A multidisciplinary team carried out the transplant. The team included Dr. K. Anantha Rao, Dr. Y. Manoj Kumar, Dr. Uma Maheshwara Rao, Dr. Akhtar, and Dr. Bhuvaneshwari, among others.
Understanding the Complex Procedure
Explaining the procedure, Dr. Anantha Rao said that performing a kidney transplant between donor and recipient with incompatible blood groups is highly complex. Doctors must first follow a special pre-transplant protocol known as desensitization, which reduces the antibodies in the recipient’s body that might otherwise reject the transplanted kidney.
As part of the preparation, doctors administer vaccinations to lower the risk of infection and give Rituximab injections to prevent the formation of new antibodies. In addition, they perform procedures such as plasma exchange to remove existing antibodies from the patient’s bloodstream. The transplant can proceed only after antibody levels drop to less than 1:4.
Advanced Transplant Facilities Now Available in Rayalaseema
Dr. Anantha Rao further explained that such advanced transplant procedures are usually available only at a few specialized centres. However, KIMS Hospital in Kurnool now offers these facilities, allowing patients in the Rayalaseema region to access world-class treatment closer to home.
He also noted that the hospital has successfully performed more than 80 kidney transplants so far. These include pediatric transplants, swap transplants, ABO-incompatible transplants, cadaver transplants, and high-risk transplants.
Reducing the Need to Travel to Metro Cities
With the availability of these advanced medical services, kidney patients in Rayalaseema no longer need to travel to major metropolitan cities for transplantation. Instead, they can now access comprehensive kidney transplant care in Kurnool, significantly reducing the burden on patients and their families.