William Saletan writes:
Good news: You can now get a kidney from a vagina.
The kidney doesn’t start in the vagina, of course. That’s just where it comes out. For several years, doctors have been learning how to do this. It’s called “transvaginal nephrectomy” or, more broadly, “natural orifice” surgery. They cut the kidney loose and pull it through an incision in the vaginal wall and out the other end.
Until now, all kidneys removed this way were unhealthy and slated for disposal. But on Friday, doctors at Johns Hopkins University added a new twist. According to Dr. Robert Montgomery, head of Johns Hopkins’ transplant division, “The kidney was successfully removed and transplanted into the donor’s niece.”
Because orifice surgery eliminates the need for big surgical incisions, it makes donating an organ less painful and more convenient. And for folks who don’t have vaginas — well, there’s the throat and the rectum!
