Brother donates kidney to his sister in procedure rarely performed on fraternal twins
Surgeons at Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital, a campus of Methodist Hospital, have performed a kidney transplant on fraternal twins. This procedure is performed very rarely, according to hospital surgeons. Dushion Orr donated a kidney to his sister, Dionne. The surgery took place October 22, just one week before they celebrated their 46th birthdays. Both are San Antonio residents. Dionne was diagnosed with C1q nephropathy several years ago. The condition is a kidney dysfunction caused by kidney C1q protein deposits in kidney tissues. The deposits activate the immune system causing inflammatory changes in renal tissue and leading to advanced kidney disease known as nephrotic syndrome. The reason the protein deposits occur is unknown. Dionne started dialysis in June 2013. When one twin donates to another there is better genetic matching with less risk of organ rejection, less need for immunosuppressant medications and fewer side effects associated with these medications.
Both of the twins are doing well. “The doctors told me that I woke up smiling after the operation,” said Duschon. The twins have been close siblings all their lives. Dushon came to San Antonio from Austin to live with his sister while he attended barber school. Dionne said that she got a kidney, and he got a car because after Dushon made the decision to donate, she helped him buy a new car.
