Professor Guy Alexandre died on 14 February at the age of 89, leaving behind a legacy of pioneering contributions to the field of transplantation.
In the early 1960s, he drew controversy by performing transplants from donors deemed ‘brain-dead’. However, his perspectives eventually gained acceptance within the medical field.
Hailing from the Clinique Universitaire St Pierre in Louvain, Belgium, Professor Alexandre dedicated himself to research on transplantation.
His early studies on experimental practices in canines laid the foundation for his work.
Notably, he was the first surgeon to advocate for organ transplantation from patients in a state of coma dépassé, a concept he introduced five years before the acceptance of brain death criteria by the Harvard Committee.
His 1963 transplant performed on a patient declared ‘brain-dead’ sparked contentious debate yet demonstrated the potential to save lives through innovative approaches.
Professor Alexandre was a trailblazer in ABO incompatible transplants, publishing innovative strategies in 1985 that challenged conventional practices.
He was the first to electively undertake transplantation of ABO-incompatible donor kidneys following removal of anti-A or anti-B antibodies from the recipient by plasmapheresis.
He also led the field in obviating the problem of ABO incompatibility, expanding the number of potential donor organs that could be transplanted into a single recipient.
Even after retirement, his curiosity led him to delve into xenotransplantation, showcasing his enduring commitment to medical advancement.
Despite the initial opposition, Professor Alexandre’s convictions prevailed, reshaping medical ethics and defining new standards for determining death.
Throughout his career, he fearlessly confronted ethical dilemmas, advocating for the utilisation of organs from brain-dead donors to save lives.
His unwavering stance paved the way for transformative shifts in medical practice and ethical considerations surrounding transplantation.
Born on 4 July 1934 in Uccle, Belgium, Guy Pierre Jean Alexandre embarked on a remarkable medical journey.
His tenure at the University of Louvain and his formative years at Harvard University, where Joseph E Murray mentored him, shaped his contributions to transplant surgery.
In addition to his professional achievements, Professor Alexandre cherished his family deeply. His wife of 65 years, Eliane Moens, preceded him in death, leaving behind a loving family of five children, 17 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.
In a paper published in Transplant Immunology in 2020 entitled Guy Alexandre – An appreciation of his innovative contributions to organ transplantation, author David K C Cooper noted: ‘These several courageous and significant contributions to the field of transplantation establish Dr Alexandre as a true pioneer, but I do not believe he has received the recognition he deserves, particularly in introducing the use of organs from brain-dead donors and the development of a means of achieving successful ABO-incompatible kidney allotransplantation. I hope this brief summary of his work makes his pioneering contributions better known to the transplant community.’
