SARA AL ZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Saving lives through organ transplantation since 2017, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi on Wednesday highlighted how far its programme has come – from carrying out more than 940 transplants in less than a decade to pioneering advanced robotic procedures. The hospital attributed this success to the unwavering support of the government and the growing public awareness of the significant impact of organ donation.
The hospital has performed a total of 941 organ transplants since the inception of its programme in 2017, according to data presented at a media roundtable on Wednesday. These included 402 liver, 415 kidney, 70 lung, 38 heart, and 16 pancreas transplants. An additional 56 combined organ transplants were also carried out.
“When we launched the transplant programme at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in 2017, it marked the beginning of a new chapter for healthcare in the UAE. From those early days, our vision was clear, to create the nation’s first multi-organ transplant centre, offering comprehensive, world-class care without the need for patients to travel abroad,” said Dr. Bashir Sankari, Institute Chief, Urology, Integrated Surgical Institute, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
“Eight years later, we have performed 941 transplants, including several regional firsts, and our volumes continue to grow year after year.”
Dr. Sankari added that this progress has been made possible through the hospital’s close collaboration with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and the Hayat National Programme for Organ Donation and Transplantation, which have expanded the donor pool and raised community awareness.
“What began as a pioneering step has now become a programme of regional significance, drawing referrals from across the Middle East and beyond. Every procedure reflects our surgical excellence, and the UAE’s ability to stand at the forefront of global medicine.”
Speaking to Aletihad, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi specialists highlighted how innovation and teamwork are reshaping transplant care in the UAE.
The hospital has gained recognition for performing the GCC’s first robotic lung transplant, alongside robotic kidney procedures. Beyond this, the latest technological advancements are employed to enhance patient outcomes.
With heart transplants, for example, artificial intelligence can help predict outcomes by looking at donor and recipient parameters, said Dr. Nadya Almatrooshi, Staff Physician, Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
“We also use a blood test called Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) to rule out rejection, replacing biopsies that carried many complications. This is one of the technologies that makes our service unique.”
Dr. Almatrooshi also discussed the potential future use of artificial hearts. “An artificial heart will support patients facing a long wait,” she said. “Heart disease can be life-threatening, and some have no other option.”
In the case of liver transplants, pumping technology has been crucial, according to Dr. Luis Campos, Staff Physician, Abdominal Transplant, Digestive Disease Institute, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
“If an organ is marginal, pumping it for a few hours shows us if it will work. This avoids failed transplants and increases the pool of usable organs. It will reduce waiting time and expand availability for patients in the UAE,” he said.
Life-Saving Impact of Organ Donation
Despite these advancements, none of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s transplant milestones – or the lives saved – would have been possible without the selfless generosity of organ donors.
“This is really the major success that happened over the last few years – the increase in the number of organ donors,” said Dr. Sankari.
Highlighting the importance of organ donation, he encouraged people to sign up: “Do not let your organs go to waste – somebody on earth needs it. The good deeds you will earn in the afterlife are tremendous, because you’re saving lives.”