Silvester D’Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapura (MS)

Kundapura, May 28: Dr Istiyak, a native of the taluk, and his team have achieved a remarkable feat by successfully transplanting a kidney belonging to a different blood group, marking a significant advancement in the medical field.

The groundbreaking surgery of a non-matching ABO blood group was performed by Dr Istiyak's team at Burjeel Medical City Hospital in Abu Dhabi. Their success has garnered attention in the headlines of Gulf media.

Revathi (32), wife of Kartikeyan and a mother of two, has been residing in Abu Dhabi since 2018. She was diagnosed with a kidney infection, which led to a series of surgeries including Hemo Dialysis. Despite efforts to find living kidney donors or suitable deceased donor matches since 2022, their search was in vain.

Revathi's condition deteriorated to the point of a heart attack due to her non-functioning kidneys. In a last-ditch effort, Revathi's father volunteered to donate his kidney to save his daughter. Although their blood groups were compatible, the transplant was called off at the last moment due to his heart condition and high blood pressure.

With time running out, Kartikeyan, Revathi's husband, was determined to save his wife and offered to donate his kidney. However, their incompatible blood groups posed a significant challenge. Desperate for a solution, Kartikeyan turned to Dr Istiyak Ahmed, a nephrologist and transplant expert at Abu Dhabi's Burjeel Medical City.

Under the leadership of Dr Istiyak, the medical team at Burjeel Hospital, including Dr Rihan Saif, Dr Venkat Sainaresh, Dr Ramamurthy G Bhaskaran, and Dr Nicholur Vyon, successfully transplanted Kartikeyan's kidney into Revathi. After several days of observation in the ICU, Revathi's body accepted the transplant, despite the difference in blood groups, and she is now on the road to recovery.

Dr. Istiyak, the son of Kundapura entrepreneur Hajee Abdul Khader, received his education at Kundapura Girls School, Board High School, and Bhandarkar’s College before completing his MBBS and MD at KMC Mangaluru. He furthered his studies with a DM from Vellore Christian Medical College and has served in various esteemed hospitals, including Narayana Hrudayalaya in Bengaluru. Currently, he holds the position of chief medical officer at Burjeel Medical City in Abu Dhabi.