First Liver Transplantation In Dubai

Our Liver Team at King’s College Hospital performed the first liver transplantation in the Emirate of Dubai. The fortunate patient who benefitted from this surgery was a 38-year-old lady who was suffering from cirrhosis and liver failure. She presented six months ago with yellowish discoloration of the eyes (jaundice) and swelling of her feet and belly (ascites). She was evaluated by Dr. Kaiser Raja, Consultant in Liver Diseases and Director of Transplant Hepatology at King’s College Hospital, Dubai and was diagnosed to have an uncommon condition of the liver known as autoimmune hepatitis, in which the body’s immune system damages one’s own liver. Unfortunately, in her case, by the time she developed symptoms of liver disease, she had already developed liver cirrhosis with features of liver failure. Medications were tried but were not successful. It was therefore decided that the best treatment for her would be a liver transplant. She underwent a comprehensive pre-transplant evaluation to make sure that she had no other ailments, and that transplantation could be safely performed on her. She underwent a liver transplantation on 29^th November 2023. The donated organ was from a deceased donor whose family graciously agreed for organ donation.

The surgery was performed by a team of transplant surgeons led by Dr. Parthiban Srinivasan who is the Director of Liver Transplantation at King’s College Hospital London in UK and Dr. Rakesh Rai, transplant surgeon at King’s College Hospital in Dubai. Liver transplantation is a complex abdominal surgery that involves complete removal of the diseased liver followed by implantation of a healthy liver. After the surgery, the patient was closely monitored in the liver intensive care unit by liver intensivists (Dr. Mohammed Abdulraheem, Dr. Nageswar Bandla and Dr. Desh Deepak) and hepatologists (Dr. Kaiser Raja and Dr. Farooq Khan). Immediate post-transplant care involves close monitoring of all organ functions, prevention of infections and administration of immunosuppressant mediations to ensure that the new liver was not rejected by the patient’s body. Once it was ascertained that the new liver had started functioning and that all other organ systems were also functioning optimally, the patient was moved from the intensive care unit to a high dependency unit. She was discharged ten days after the surgery in very good health. She continues to follow with Dr. Kaiser in the liver clinic and is doing very well.  The patient will require lifelong medications to prevent rejection. After the first 6 months, the chance of rejection is usually quite low and patients need only a small dose of medications. Lifelong follow-up and astute monitoring of immunosuppressant drug usage is needed so that the transplanted liver keeps working well and patient does not develop long-term medication related adverse effects. With modern immunosuppressant drugs and proper long-term medical care, liver transplant recipients generally have a very good survival with 90% patients doing well at 1 year and 75% patients surviving more than 10 years.

Liver transplantation is a complex surgical procedure and requires extensive teamwork between surgeons, hepatologists, intensive care physicians, specialized nurses and multiple other specialists. At King’s College Hospital in Dubai, we have a full in-house team overseen and supported by our transplant team at King’s College Hospital in London, UK. The team is led by our Chief transplant surgeon Dr. Parthi Srinivasan and Chief Hepatologist, Dr. Kaiser Raja. King’s is the only hospital, currently licensed by the Dubai Healthcare Authority for liver transplantation in Dubai. Our team has the combined experience of performing over 1500 liver transplantation procedures. Apart from qualified, well trained and highly experienced medical professionals in the field of hepatology and liver transplantation, we have a dedicated Liver intensive care service that provides high end care for patients with advanced and end-stage liver disease, cirrhosis with complications, acute liver failure and post liver transplant care. To know more about the liver transplant program at King’s College Hospital please visit https://kingscollegehospitaldubai.com/service/liver-transplant-centre

Healthcare in Dubai has grown in an amazing manner in the past two decades. Healthcare in Dubai can now be bench marked to the best in the world across many specialities. However, one specialty that was lacking was liver transplantation. Until recently, liver transplantation was not available in Dubai. King’s College Hospital is the only hospital, currently licensed by the Dubai Healthcare Authority for liver transplantation in Dubai. Unfortunately, liver disease is on the rise and the main reasons for chronic liver disease, liver cirrhosis and liver failure are increasing alcohol use, diabetes and obesity related fatty liver disease, and chronic hepatitis B and C. The only curative treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease and cirrhosis who develop liver failure is a liver transplantation done in a timely manner. Patients with liver cirrhosis are also at high risk for developing liver cancer and liver transplantation is a curative option in patients with liver cancer. Liver transplantation is also the only life-saving option for patients who develop severe hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) leading to acute liver failure. This can happen with viral infections, drugs or unknown reasons.

Organ transplantation is not possible without organ donation. As a nation, United Arab Emirates, has been recognized internationally as the country with the fastest growing rate or organ donation after death. Awareness for organ pledging and donation must be spread to everyone in our country. The Hayat Organ Donation program under the Ministry of Health and Prevention has taken remarkable initiatives in this regard and encourages every citizen and resident of the United Arab Emirates to sign up as an organ donor. It is said “Don’t take your organs to heaven, Heaven knows we need then here.” Donating organs is a noble way to heal the lives of many others. To pledge your organs please visit https://mohap.gov.ae/en/hayat

“Liver cirrhosis is silent and does not cause any symptoms till your liver is 80 percent damaged. If you are a diabetic or obese or consume excessive alcohol, make sure you are not progressing towards liver cirrhosis. Liver cirrhosis is a major risk factor for liver cancer as well. Early recognition of disease and prevention of progression of liver disease can avoid liver failure and a liver transplant.”

Dr. Kaiser Raja