KFSHRC performs life-saving heart transplant on 7-year-old Saudi child with organ from UAE donor
King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh has successfully performed a life-saving heart transplant on a 7-year-old Saudi child, made possible through groundbreaking cross-border medical cooperation with the United Arab Emirates.
The organ was donated by a brain-dead donor in Abu Dhabi, under the UAE’s National Program for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissue (HAYAT), and coordinated with the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation. The procedure involved extensive planning, precise logistics, and the consent of the donor’s family, ensuring the transplant was carried out within a critically narrow time window.
Cross-border medical coordination saves young life
The transplant required meticulous synchronization—from organ retrieval in Abu Dhabi, to rapid air transport to Riyadh, and immediate preparation of operating theaters at KFSHRC. With only five hours allowed between organ removal and transplantation, the medical and logistical teamwork proved vital in saving the child, who was suffering from advanced heart failure caused by a congenital defect.
Before the transplant, the child had exhausted all treatment options, including medication, respiratory support, and pacemaker implantation, making the urgent transplant the only remaining solution.
KFSHRC’s global leadership in cardiac surgery
KFSHRC’s Heart Centre is recognized as one of the world’s leading cardiac institutions, with achievements such as the first fully robotic heart transplant and robotic artificial heart pump implantation without chest incision.
The hospital has consistently ranked among the world’s top academic medical centers, placing first in the Middle East and North Africa and 15th globally. It was also recognized by Brand Finance in 2024 as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East, and by Newsweek as one of the world’s best hospitals and best smart hospitals for 2025.
This latest successful pediatric heart transplant further strengthens KFSHRC’s reputation as a global leader in complex and life-saving cardiac procedures.
