Absolutely Amazing "round robin" Kidney Xplant story

[Stinky The Clown]

From NY Newsday (and also just heard on my local teevee news):

Three receive donated kidneys in triple transplant

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--tripletransplants0519may19,0,1386853.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork

BALTIMORE -- Three donors gave kidneys to unrelated recipients in the third triple kidney transplant performed at Johns Hopkins Hospital, hospital officials said Thursday.

The transplants involved a wife who was unable to donate to her husband, and a daughter who wanted to donate a kidney to her father, but also was incompatible.

An unrelated donor, who had wanted to donate a kidney, was found to be a match for the husband. His wife was a match for the father, and the daughter was found to be a match for an Altoona, Pa. police officer.

The three transplants were performed simultaneously on Sunday, and all six are doing well, said Dr. Robert A. Montgomery, director of the Comprehensive Transplant Center at Johns Hopkins.

[benburch]

1. What on earth is the synergy here?

I cannot see why doing three at once is anything more efficient or better for the patient???

[jayctravis]

2. I guess the point is that they couldn't donate to whom they wanted...

but they were compatible matches for other patients whose loved ones were incompatible for the people *they* were donating to, but matched the first patient.

I guess it's kidney socialism at work! :)