Brain-dead donor in Abu Dhabi saves Saudi child’s life

A brain-dead donor in Abu Dhabi saved the life of a seven-year-old Saudi child following a heart transplant.

The operation was successfully performed at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh.

The heart, donated by the brain-dead donor, was transported from Abu Dhabi to Riyadh in co-ordination with the National Programme for Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation (Hayat) in the UAE and the Saudi Centre for Organ Transplantation after obtaining the consent of the donor’s family and completing the necessary procedures.

The success of the heart transplant was not merely a medical procedure; it was the fruit of continuous co-ordination between medical teams in the UAE and Saudi Arabia as part of humanitarian co-operation aimed at saving critical cases.

This collaboration involved a meticulous series of medical and logistical arrangements, beginning with the heart removal procedure in Abu Dhabi and the heart’s airlift to Riyadh and concluding with preparing the operating room for the transplant at a critical time, contributing to saving the life of the child who had no other treatment options.

This success is an extension of the cross-border organ transplantation co-operation between the UAE and Saudi Arabia. King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre has previously performed similar operations, contributing to the lifesaving of patients of all ages.

The child was suffering from advanced heart failure resulting from a complex congenital defect. Various therapeutic interventions, including medications, respiratory support and pacemaker implantation had been used without any significant response and consequently an urgent transplantation was required.

Time is a critical factor in the success of heart transplants. According to medical standards, the time between removing the donor’s heart and transplanting it to the patient should not exceed five hours to ensure the success of the procedure.