Second kidney transplant saves Gavin exactly 17 years after his first
Gavin Dahms received a kidney transplant when he was just 11 months old, on Dec. 7, 2005 at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital. Seventeen years later, he needed another kidney, and his mom, Jessica, knew everything would turn out fine when his second transplant was scheduled on the same date as his first – Dec. 7, 2022.
“I got goosebumps when I got the call that it would be Dec. 7 – the same date at the same hospital,” Jessica said. "There was not a doubt in my mind that it would all work out.”
Raja Kandaswamy, MD, transplant surgeon and surgical director of kidney transplantation with M Health Fairview, participated in both of Gavin’s transplants and describes Gavin’s medical journey as being full circle.
"There are several instances in medical care where we feel that fate overcomes facts, and this may be one of those examples," said Kandaswamy, who is also a professor of surgery at University of Minnesota Medical School.
A paired kidney exchange
Gavin was born with bilateral renal hypoplasia, a condition in which the kidneys are underdeveloped. Since his kidneys were small and not functioning properly, a transplant was his best treatment option. Gavin’s dad was a match, and Gavin received one of his father’s kidneys on Dec. 7, 2005 at Masonic Children’s Hospital.
The kidney lasted throughout Gavin’s childhood, but its function began to decline in 2020, and Gavin needed to go on dialysis.
“Transplanted kidneys typically don’t last forever,” said Srinath Chinnakotla, MD, transplant surgeon with M Health Fairview and professor of transplantation at the University of Minnesota Medical School, who performed Gavin’s second transplant. “Eventually their function can decrease, and they may need to be replaced later in life.”
Jessica underwent testing to see if she was a match to donate her kidney to Gavin, but she was not compatible due to antibody levels. Disappointed that she could not give her kidney to her son, Jessica did not stop in her mission to get Gavin a kidney. She donated her kidney through the National Kidney Registry’s Standard Voucher Program. Jessica’s kidney was matched and went to a patient, and then Gavin was prioritized for a living donor kidney on the list.
“The paired exchange allows us not to reject family members who aren’t a match from donating their kidney, and instead accepts them into the National Kidney Registry,” said Kandaswamy. “After Jessica donated her kidney, Gavin essentially received a voucher that gave him access to all the kidneys in the country.”
Our expert care team found the perfect kidney for Gavin through the program. As luck would have it, Gavin received his new kidney on Dec. 7, 2022, exactly 17 years after his first transplant.
The perfect match
There are two options for a kidney transplant — a living donor or a deceased donor.
Kandaswamy says that living donation is preferred when possible.
“A living donor offers several advantages compared to a deceased donor,” he said. “The kidney has a longer lifespan, and it offers the choice of when the transplant takes place, allowing for better planning.”
Deceased organ donations, however, also have positive outcomes, Kandaswamy stresses.
Our kidney transplant program is internationally recognized for our expertise in living kidney donation. More than half of the kidneys we transplant come from living donors. We regularly perform living donor kidney transplants arranged through our paired exchange program, which is a great option for transplant candidates with living donors who may not be a match.
In addition to obtaining a living donor kidney for Gavin, our care team employed the latest technique in organ matching called eplet matching. Eplet matching involves a complex molecular review that is more sophisticated than traditional methods. Doctors believe it will improve long-term outcomes and reduce the amount of anti-rejection medicine that transplant recipients need.
M Health Fairview leads the country in the number of paired exchange transplants completed using this new molecular-level matching technology, according to Kandaswamy.
"Technology has improved since Gavin’s first transplant,” he said. “The chances of rejection of this new kidney are much lower because the matching was better.”
Saving two lives
With his new kidney, Gavin can resume life as a 17-year-old — playing violin, participating in theater and speech, and playing video games. He and his mom have a new mission of raising awareness of organ donation, especially living organ donation and the paired exchange program.
“I can say I saved two lives instead of one,” Jessica said. “I know how devastating kidney disease can be. Knowing I could help this stranger was a gift.”
