Sixty years since Australia’s first kidney transplant at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) is marking 60 years since Australia’s first successful kidney transplant was performed at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) in Woodville South, South Australia.  

The landmark surgery on 21 February 1965 involved a man donating a kidney to his son-in-law, with the kidney providing lifesaving function for eleven years.  

Since then, teams at TQEH and the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) have performed over 3,400 transplants, including 100 successful surgeries in 2024.

Professor Toby Coates is Director of Kidney and Islet Transplantation at the RAH.  

“We are proud to be the site of such an incredible milestone in Australia’s medical history,” says Professor Coates.

“At the time, other sites across Australia were also prepared and waiting to perform this landmark surgery, but it was our hospital that was given the ideal opportunity.”  

“It was a surgery that had never been performed in Australia before so for the kidney to last 11 years was a very good outcome for the time.” 

Back when TVs were black and white

Life was very different in South Australia back in 1965.

Most households relied on printed newspapers, radio or black and white televisions for news. TQEH had been open for six years as a general hospital.

Aged 33 years at the time, husband and father Peter Tirimacco had his two kidneys removed due to damage from an immune disease.

Despite a human-to-human kidney transplant never being performed in Australia before, the prospect was raised with his family and several family members volunteered to be donors.

It was Peter’s father-in-law, 56-year-old Dominic Centofanti, who turned out to be a suitable match.

Led by then Renal Unit Director, Professor Jim Lawrence and surgeon, Mr Peter Knight, the marathon double operation took most of the day. With the help of immunosuppression drugs to stop his body from rejecting the organ, the surgery was a success.  

The transplant lasted for 11 years, allowing Mr Tirimacco to return to full time work and see his family grow up, before the kidney failed and he had to recommence dialysis.  

Marking the occasion

An afternoon tea with Mr Tirimacco’s family and past and present health staff will be held to mark this historic milestone on Saturday, 22 February.

The event will also celebrate the profound impact of RAH transplant surgeon Dr Christine Russell, who will retire at the end of the month after performing more than 1,000 kidney transplants.  

Lead image shows Mr Tirimacco’s family members with Professor Toby Coates along with Rachael Kay, CALHN Executive Director of Operations and Performance.