From Fetal Surgery to Transplant Surgery: Jaiden’s Story

Jaiden is well known at Texas Children’s Hospital for his charisma. His kidney complications from before birth have led him to receive care in both Houston and North Austin, and throughout the past 11 years, he has impressed staff in both locations with his jokes and positivity. 

“He's so funny and incredibly conversational. I think he's a very well-adjusted kid,” said Kartik Pillutla, MD, medical director, pediatric nephrology at Texas Children’s North Austin.

Diagnosis before birth

When Jaiden’s mother, Alexis, was 12 weeks pregnant, Jaiden was diagnosed with a lower urinary tract obstruction via ultrasound. When in the uterus, babies still need a functional urinary system to process the nutrition they receive from the mother, otherwise, the kidneys can be permanently damaged. 

From the time of diagnosis, Alexis knew she wanted her care at Texas Children’s. At the Maternal Fetal Medicine Center, careful preparations were made for a delicate procedure to open the blocked urinary tract to preserve his kidney function while Alexis was still pregnant. 

The surgery was able to improve the flow of urine, but Jaiden was born 14 weeks premature, requiring a long stay at Texas Children’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to support his breathing and nutrition. His kidneys also required special attention to support their function. 

The road to dialysis

Jaiden was diagnosed with a condition called prune belly syndrome, which can cause urinary tract obstruction among other concerns, such as weak abdominal muscles. Kidney complications from this condition led to loss of one kidney early in life and, eventually, failure of the remaining kidney resulted in fatigue and weight loss.

“Just days before his 11th birthday, our medical team sat down with us and shared that Jaiden’s kidney was entering end-stage renal disease,” said Alexis. “Dialysis has allowed Jaiden to grow in ways we never thought possible, especially since his kidney was holding him back.”

Waiting for transplant

The principal goal for Jaiden is a kidney transplant. Dialysis can’t continue throughout a child’s life, and Jaiden is unable to attend traditional school due to the significant time commitment required for treatment. 

“Jaiden dreams of going back to school full-time and traveling more, and his ultimate goal is to visit Universal Studios’ new Mario World once all this is behind him,” said Alexis.

When Texas Children’s North Austin opened in 2024, Jaiden’s care became significantly easier. His dialysis treatments occur at the Austin campus, and the Austin team collaborates closely with the transplant team located in Houston. 

“Jaiden’s care has been incredibly collaborative, which has allowed us to care for someone with his degree of medical complexity on dialysis, making sure we're attending not only to his medical needs, but his psychosocial needs as well,” said Dr. Pillutla.

For all parents caring for chronically ill children

Jaiden’s story is unique in many ways, but the frequent hospital visits and hope for the best possible outcomes will be familiar to many Texas Children’s families. Alexis has been active in lifting up other families in similar situations and has learned a lot from being Jaiden’s mother. 

“Maybe right now, you don’t know what it’s like to live a ‘normal’ life, but one day you’ll have your own version of normal, and it will be worth it. Be kind to yourself. The road is hard,” she said. 

Having a supportive team around you is essential and includes doctors and nurses who take the time to offer great care. 

“It would have been very easy, based on how ill he was as a baby, to think that Jaiden was going to have a certain course, but he has taught me that you can never make assumptions. I’m immensely proud of him,” said Dr. Pillutla.

Learn more about the programs at Texas Children’s Renal (Kidney) Services.