A joint Saudi-UAE effort enabled a 7-year-old’s heart transplant, showcasing regional medical coordination and excellence in cardiac care.
RIYADH: In a remarkable demonstration of medical cooperation, a 7-year-old Saudi child’s life was saved following a complex cross-border heart transplant between the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The operation was successfully performed at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh, using a donated heart from a brain-dead donor in Abu Dhabi.
The life-saving procedure required flawless coordination between the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation and the UAE’s National Program for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissue, known as HAYAT. The donor’s family gave full consent, and all regulatory clearances were swiftly obtained. From organ extraction and rapid air transport to theatre preparation in Riyadh, each stage was executed within a tightly monitored timeframe.
The young patient was in critical condition due to a congenital heart defect and had exhausted all other medical options. After being listed for an urgent transplant, the arrival of the donor heart offered a final hope. Medical experts highlight that a heart transplant must occur within five hours from organ removal to ensure success—making cross-border operations especially challenging.
Doctors at KFSHRC completed the operation in record time. The hospital’s Heart Centre is globally recognised for its pioneering work, including the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant. This recent case reflects the growing regional collaboration in high-stakes healthcare and reaffirms Saudi Arabia’s leadership in complex medical procedures.
KFSHRC has maintained its position as the top hospital in the Middle East and North Africa and ranks 15th globally among academic medical centres. It also features in Newsweek’s list of the world’s best and smartest hospitals for 2025.
