Successful renal transplantation from a brain-dead deceased donor who died from snakebite: a case report

Abstract

Even though India is the country with the highest annual number of deaths (50,000) from snakebite, there is contradictory evidence regarding acceptance of deceased donors (DD) who died from this cause. We present 2 successful renal transplantations (RTx) from a brain-dead DD who died from a neurotoxic snakebite without manifestations of a viper bite. We accepted the donor as he exhibited no evidence of hematoxic snakebite. Rather the findings were consistent with a neurotoxic bite (probably krait), which can cause hypoxic brain injury. Both recipients established good diuresis intraoperatively and did not require hemodialysis. The patients were discharged with good diuresis and normal serum creatinines. After 3-month follow-up, both recipients show normal graft function. According to our experience of favorable RTx outcomes from a brain-dead DD who died from neurotoxic snakebite may expand the donor pool.