King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC) has achieved a remarkable medical milestone by successfully transplanting three donor hearts into patients within 24 hours, restoring hope to two men and a child suffering from severe heart failure. The hearts were procured from brain-dead donors in Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, and Riyadh, and transported swiftly to KFSHRC in Riyadh, demonstrating exemplary coordination and medical expertise.
The process began with KFSHRC’s dedicated medical teams traveling to Abu Dhabi and Jeddah to retrieve two hearts. A third team procured the final heart from King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) in Riyadh. With the assistance of the Riyadh Traffic Department, the hearts were quickly transported by private aircraft and ambulances, ensuring minimal delays. This swift action was critical as medical standards mandate that the time between heart procurement and transplantation should not exceed five hours for a successful outcome.
The first patient, a nine-year-old girl with heart muscle weakness, had been awaiting a donor heart since receiving an artificial pump in March. A matching donor was found through collaboration with the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation and the UAE’s HAYAT program. The heart was flown from Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to Riyadh and successfully transplanted by Dr. Zuhair Al-Halees, Senior Consultant Cardiac Surgeon.
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The second patient, a 40-year-old man suffering from end-stage heart disease, had lived with an artificial pump for seven years. His transplant was performed by a medical team led by Dr. Feras Khaliel, Head of the Heart Transplant Program at KFSHRC. The third patient, a 41-year-old man with fourth-degree heart muscle failure, also underwent successful transplantation, again under Dr. Khaliel’s leadership.
The success of these transplants underscores KFSHRC’s capability to handle complex medical procedures and collaborate effectively with international and regional authorities. It also highlights the hospital’s global standing, being ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 20th worldwide by Brand Finance, and among the world’s top 250 hospitals by Newsweek magazine in 2024.
