Indian Transplant Newsletter Vol. VII Issue NO.: 24 (Oct 2006 - Feb 2007)
Print ISSN 0972 - 1568

The First Crossover Kidney Transplantation in Germany

Indian Transplant Newsletter.
Vol. VII Issue NO.: 24 (Oct 2006 - Feb 2007)
Print ISSN 0972 - 1568
Print PDF


The first crossover kidney transplantation in Germany was performed recently in Hamburg and Essen after a 2003 court ruling making the procedure legal in certain circumstances.

In crossover transplantation a healthy person in one couple donates his or her kidney to the ill person in another   couple in exchange for a kidney from the recipients’ healthy spouse. The healthy partner in a couple is unable to donate his or her kidney either because of blood group incompatibility or because of the spouse’s sensitization to certain antibodies.  In countries like Switzerland and Romania there are no legal obstacles to crossover transplantation.

However in Germany this practice was considered illegal under the transplantation law of 1997. To prevent trade in human organs, German law allowed transplantation between people who have  a close  relationship,  such  as a long standing  friendship.  An independent committee had to ensure that “trusting relationships between the couples were established “and no economic incentives were offered.


To cite : Shroff S, Navin S. The First Crossover Kidney Transplantation in Germany. Indian Transplant Newsletter Vol. VII Issue NO.: 24 (Oct 2006 - Feb 2007).
Available at:
https://www.itnnews.co.in/indian-transplant-newsletter/issue24/THE-FIRST-CROSSOVER-KIDNEY-TRANSPLANTATION-IN-GERMANY-672.htm

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