Information about kidney transplant with no medications + no rejection by hybrid immune system.?

Question

I want more information about the experimental proceedure that before a kidney transplant, the recipient will have an injection of bone marrow from the donor 1 month before the transplant. This suppose to creates a hybrid immune system. After the transplantation, the patient will take immune supressant drugs as usual but will be weened off the medication slowly. The hybrid immune system will prevent the body from attacking the new kidney. This proceedure has been sucessful in 70%+ patients. I want to learn as much as possible and will be participating in this research area in the future. This is so good because if a patient has to take immune supressants for the rest of their lives to prevent rejection, this is almost the save as living with HIV and the patient will die of infections. Please if you have any more information on this let me know. everyone will get a + for answering.

Answer 1

I can't speak specifically to this new therapy, but you are doing the right thing in educating yourself.  I would strongly recommend you have a long discussion with your MD, the MD doing the study (or research coordinator), or the transplant coordinator.  A good resource will be the consent form you will sign prior to the investigational procedure.  It will detail a lot of information.  If possible have this conversation prior to the time immediately prior to the transplant.  The decision to participate in an investigational trial at the time of transplant is huge and you will want to make sure you have time to get all of your questions answered.  The time of transplant will likely be hectic for all of the normal transplant issues and you don't want to muck the situation up anymore than necessary.  Hope this helps.