First Transplants For HIV-Positive Patients On UK’s National Health Service

There has been a small number of transplants in the UK from donors with HIV and it is hoped the medical breakthrough will inspire people living with the condition to join the organ donor register

*HIV-positive patients had transplants using organs from infected donors *Surgeons at Guy's Hospital took extra precautions during surgeries *Hoped it will inspire more people living with HIV to join organ register *Successful transplants between infected patients will reduce shortages 

Transplants using organs infected with HIV have been carried out on patients in a major breakthrough which could save thousands of lives.

Mailonline report continues:

It is hoped successful transplants from donors with HIV to patients with the infection will lead to more organs becoming available - giving hope to those on the transplant waiting list.

In a breakthrough which has been hailed the most significant medical advance for decades, HIV-infected organs from three donors have been transplanted into four HIV patients in the last five years.

Charities hope it will inspire people living with the condition to join the organ donor register.

Two people donated their liver which while the other donor donated two kidneys with each organ successfully transplanted, NHS Blood and Transplant said.

Both kidney transplants performed by Nikolaos Karydis at Guy's hospital in central London, have been successful. 

The outcome for the liver patients is not known.

Dr Karydis and his team had to take extra precautions to avoid contracting the virus themselves, such as covering all exposed body parts and doubling up on gloves and face masks.