Patient claims he was given a different kidney instead of his wife's for transplant

Feyyaz Sevimli from Adana alleged that at Medicana International Istanbul Hospital, he was pressured into a 'cross-transplant' and received a different kidney instead of the one he was supposed to receive from his wife. He further claimed that the transplanted kidney suffered rejection after a short time and was only functioning at 7 percent, while his wife's healthy kidney was transplanted into someone else. Sevimli stated that they do not know who received his wife's healthy kidney. The Ministry of Health has granted permission for an investigation into the doctors.

Feyyaz Sevimli (65), a father of three and a kidney patient living in Adana, saw his kidney function completely fail in 2021. Sevimli, who works as a jeweler, began dialysis and, upon the recommendation of a doctor in Ankara, applied to Medicana International Istanbul Hospital in Istanbul.

HIS WIFE'S KIDNEY WAS A MATCH

As a result of the examinations conducted by Prof. Dr. M.T. and Prof. Dr. M.S. at Medicana International Istanbul Hospital on Feyyaz Sevimli and his wife Sonay (38), the young woman's kidney was found to be compatible with her husband's, and the couple began waiting for the surgery date.

ALLEGED PRESSURE FOR CROSS-TRANSPLANT

However, during this time, it is alleged that one of the doctors at the hospital, O.S., approached the couple and said, 'You have children. If this transplant happens, Mr. Feyyaz's sperm will be depleted, and Mrs. Sonay will never be able to be a mother again. A husband-and-wife kidney transplant is not suitable. This kidney will be rejected and will not function well. Let us perform a cross-transplant.' Although suspicious, Sonay Sevimli accepted the situation for the sake of her husband's health.

KIDNEY FUNCTIONING AT 7 PERCENT

Following the necessary approvals, M.G.'s kidney was transplanted into Feyyaz Sevimli, while Sonay Sevimli's kidney was transplanted into G.G., the spouse of another kidney patient, M.G. After being discharged following the surgery, Feyyaz Sevimli applied to Adana City Training and Research Hospital in June of the same year due to the persistence of his kidney disease symptoms. Examinations conducted there revealed that the transplanted kidney had undergone rejection and was only functioning at 7 percent.

RE-TRANSPLANTED

Feyyaz Sevimli alleged that he applied to Medicana International Istanbul Hospital again following these results, but the doctors dismissed the issue, saying such a situation was impossible. Sevimli, who returned to Adana, filed a complaint against the hospital and the doctors, and in 2022, he underwent another kidney transplant at a private hospital in Antalya and regained his health.

INVESTIGATION PERMISSION GRANTED

Upon the complaint, the Ministry of Health launched an investigation into the matter. The Ministry of Health completed its preliminary investigation last June, and its report stated: “Although Feyyaz Sevimli's wife's kidney was compatible, a cross-transplant was suggested by Dr. O.S. under the claim that it was more compatible. When the Organ Services Regulation published in the Official Gazette dated 09.12.2022 is examined, it is seen that the conditions under which a cross-transplant can be performed and to whom it can be performed require a commission decision. Even if a more compatible kidney than the wife's was transplanted into Feyyaz Sevimli, the kidney of the spouse, who was primarily suitable for the transplant, should have been used. The cross-transplant should have been subject to a commission decision.”

It was alleged in the same report that Prof. Dr. M.T., whose statement was taken, said, “The risk of rejection in kidney transplantation was shared with the patient in light of scientific data, and the cross-transplant was preferred with the patient's consent,” and that other doctors gave similar statements. Following this decision, the family filed a complaint against the hospital and the doctors through their lawyers.

IT WAS FUNCTIONING AT 7 PERCENT

Feyyaz Sevimli said, “At first, we were very happy, but then the doctor came and said, 'If you take a kidney from your wife, it will be rejected.' They convinced us to have a cross-transplant. We completed the procedures and had our cross-transplant. After coming here, I got sick. When I went to the hospital for my check-ups, they told me my kidney was functioning at 7 percent.”

'DOCUMENTS WERE NOT SHOWN TO US'

Stating that he lost his job during the surgeries and spent thousands of liras, Sevimli said, “They took my wife's healthy kidney and gave me a dead one. We went to Istanbul for a meeting, and they did not show us the documents. They said the kidney transplanted into you is better than your wife's kidney. We did not accept it; we wanted to look at the documents, but they officially hid the documents from us. We became even more suspicious. Now, permission for an investigation has been granted. I was a jeweler. I lost my house, my car, and my summer home. I want what is necessary to be done as soon as possible.”

'I AM CURRENTLY LIVING WITH A SINGLE KIDNEY'

Sonay Sevimli, explaining that she is sad because she gave the kidney she wanted to give to her husband to someone else, said, “I wanted to give my kidney to my husband. My kidney is now in someone I don't even know. I don't know if they sold my kidney or what they did. I went to voluntarily give my kidney to my husband. They forced us into a cross-transplant. I don't know who has my kidney. A non-functioning kidney was transplanted into my husband as well. We went through many financial and moral difficulties. I really want our rights to be sought, and I trust my state. I also lost my kidney. I am currently living with a single kidney.”