Brain-dead donor’s heart saves 7-year-old Saudi boy life in Riyadh

A brain-dead donor from Abu Dhabi has given a new lease of life to a seven-year-old Saudi boy suffering from advanced heart failure, after doctors in Riyadh performed a life-saving heart transplant.

The complex procedure took place at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh. It was carried out following donor family consent and all regulatory approvals, with close coordination between the Saudi Centre for Organ Transplantation and the UAE's National



Programme for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissue (Hayat)

The life-saving operation required meticulous medical and logistical coordination. The process began with organ extraction, followed by air transportation to Riyadh in a private aircraft, and concluded with the preparation of operating theatres in record time. The transplant was performed within a critically time-sensitive window, ultimately saving the life of a child who had no other treatment options.