Kimberly Johnson

Organ donor Kimberly Johnson donated one of her kidneys to her niece, Jennifer Gilbert. The donation was significant because doctors removed Johnson's kidney through her vagina, the first time such a procedure was done for an organ transplant. The doctors that performed the procedure stated that removing the kidney through a pre-existing exit route would help to reduce scarring and expedite healing for the donor.ScienceBlog: Surgeons remove healthy kidney through donor's vagina (February 2, 2009)

Although the Johns Hopkins doctors believed that removing the kidney through a pre-existing opening would be a less invasive procedure, other doctors raised concerns that the procedure was not sterile. Some doctors and researchers have called for studies to compare the safety of the NOTES procedures to traditional procedures.ScienceBlog: Surgeons remove healthy kidney through donor's vagina (February 2, 2009)

"Removing the kidney through a natural opening should hasten the patient's recovery and provide a better cosmetic result..." — Dr. Robert Montgomery, Johns Hopkins Medical CenterCNN: Surgeons remove healthy kidney through donor's vagina (February 3, 2009)

"t's good to take such [sterilization] measures...but the tube touched the vagina. And the bag touched the tube. And the bag touched the kidney" — Dr. Jihad Kaouk, Cleveland ClinicCNN: Surgeons remove healthy kidney through donor's vagina (February 3, 2009)