ABU DHABI // Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has performed its first kidney transplant from a live donor.
The operation should ensure a life free of dialysis for Emirati Moza Al Mansouri, 73. Her son, Sultan Al Tamimi, donated the organ.
The hospital is preparing to become part of a national programme to use the organs of deceased donors – which was only recently legalised – to save more lives and ensure patients do not have to travel overseas.
It also means they do not have to have a living relative who is a match and willing to donate.
“Donating a kidney is something small, compared to all she has given to our family throughout her life,” Mr Al Tamimi said. “My mother’s condition continues to improve.
“She visits the clinic regularly for medical check-ups and the results are so far good. Our entire family is very happy to see her improvement.”
Mrs Al Mansouri suffered from diabetes and hypertension.
“The next stage will be to move forward with the deceased donor programme because many patients don’t have a living related donor. These are the patients that will benefit,” said Dr Bashir Sankari, lead surgeon for the operation.
Cleveland is waiting on an official announcement to go ahead with the deceased donor programme.
The change in the law will pave the way for a wide range of transplant operations but kidney donations are most needed.
There are more than 2,000 people on kidney dialysis, in part because of the country’s high levels of diabetes. It is estimated that 20 per cent of the population have the disease, with many more at high risk.
Dr Sankari said the hospital received calls about kidney transplants “almost on a daily basis”.
The hospital does not turn away patients who do not have a living related donor and is adding them to the list..
A second Emirati couple is being lined up for a kidney transplant from a related, living donor, after the success of this month’s operation.
“By coming to the hospital for a pre-emptive transplant before needing to commence dialysis treatment, the patient has been able to add both quality and quantity of life,” Dr Sankari said of Mrs Al Mansouri .
“Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi aims to bring multidisciplinary expertise in a range of fields to the UAE, and this first successful transplant operation demonstrates the huge positive impact that these operations can offer.”
The hospital said the patient was offered the opportunity to travel abroad for the transplant but chose to remain, because she prefered to be treated closer to home.
The UAE has made significant progress in the legal framework surrounding organ transplants in recent years.
The National Organ Transplant Committee is developing a system to allow residents to register as possible donors using their Emirates ID Card.
“Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has been developing extensive transplant facilities to support a full range of transplant operations,” the hospital said.
“Transplant patients benefit from Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s unique group practice model, which brings together a broad spectrum of specialists from a variety of disciplines to deliver the best possible patient outcomes.”
salnuwais@thenational.ae