By Shobhan Singh, Hindustan Times, Mumbai (Updated: Mar 28, 2015 )

Next month, Mumbai will witness a third domino transplant involving four pairs of donors and recipients, two hospitals — PD Hinduja in Mahim and LH Hiranandani in Powai —and 24 surgeons and doctors.

While most of the families involved in the transplant are from Mumbai, one donor, M Yashodhar who has volunteered to donate one of his kidneys to his niece H Mangala Gawri, is from Kerala.

A domino transplant involves a group of donors and recipients. When a relative is unable to donate his or her kidney to an organ-failure patient because of mismatch of blood tissues, he or she can opt to give it to another patient, whose relative, in turn, donates a kidney to the first patient.

The preparations for the transplants started with counselling sessions for the families of those involved. “We counselled the donor and the recipients as to how by their cooperation many others could benefit,” said Dr Ganesh Sanap of Astra, which will carry out the transplant.

The other significant aspect of the third domino is the case of Arti Di’sa and Cyril Di’sa. Although the couple had the same blood group and were suitable for a transplant, their lymphocyte cross-match test was positive, suggesting that the recipient’s body may not accept the organ without any complications.

“It is in such cases where the domino transplant is almost like a boon. By different permutation and combinations, we can find a suitable match,”said Dr Deepa U, nephrologist and transplant physician and member of Astra.

“I found about my kidney disease in January last year. My family had volunteered, but it didn’t work out. I am finally getting a suitable match,” said Arti.