Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has successfully performed the first- combined heart and double-lung transplant in the UAE. The surgery was performed on a 56-year-old Emirati woman who was suffering from pulmonary hypertension, a life-threatening condition caused by high pressure within the pulmonary artery, which disrupts the vital flow of blood from the heart to the lungs.
Since its inception in 2017, the hospital has performed more than 700 transplants, including 47 lung transplants and 23 heart transplants. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi continues to perform complex, life-saving care in the UAE.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi achieved this milestone with the support of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, reflecting the emirate’s commitment to becoming a leading global healthcare destination, driven by its advanced transplant capabilities, state-of-the-art infrastructure, experienced healthcare professionals, and world-class facilities.
Dr Fadi Hamed, Consultant Pulmonologist and Medical Director of the Lung Transplant Programme at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi said: “The patient was regularly monitored for response to diverse care and therapeutic strategies to tackle the issue but showed no progress with standard medication. The deterioration continued so a multidisciplinary team was formed and deployed to assess her condition.”
Dr Mitesh V. Badiwala, Staff Physician in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said: “In modern history, pulmonary hypertension is typically treated with a lung transplant. However, the patient’s condition was particularly challenging due to her severely enlarged heart and petite frame, necessitating a combined heart and double lung transplant. If the congenital defect she had in 2004 had been treated earlier, she might not have suffered such severe deterioration.”
Dr Nadya Almatrooshi, Staff Physician in Cardiothoracic Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said: "Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is one of the few hospitals that facilitates multidisciplinary care for complex cases. Teams from different departments worked tirelessly to manage her heart pressure by keeping her on high oxygen in the ICU until suitable organs were available.”
A multidisciplinary team of cardiology, heart failure team, pulmonology, thoracic surgery, cardiac surgery, cardiac intensive care and cardiac anaesthesia was involved in the planning for the combined heart and double lung transplant.
Dr Usman Ahmad, Department Chair of Thoracic Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said: "The patient was at the end stage of heart and lung disease. Had we not found the matched organs in time, she could have lost the window of opportunity for this life altering surgery. The decision to proceed with the combined transplant was a significant milestone for both the patient and the team at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
“Combined heart and double lung transplant operations are uncommon even in large volume international transplant centres. Our programme is unique due to short wait times, access to appropriate size-matched organs and short ischemic times. The time that donor organs are outside the body, awaiting transplant is called ischemic time and longer ischemic times can lead to worse outcomes after transplant. Under the guidance of Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and in collaboration with Hayat, we are able to keep the ischemic time short for heart and double-lung transplant. This has allowed us to achieve outstanding survival results in these complex surgeries and because of such complex surgeries that we can do here, we are now seeing patients from Europe, Asia and South America.”
Dr Rashed Obaid Alsuwaidi, Executive Director of the Healthcare Workforce Planning Sector at DoH, said: "Abu Dhabi has significantly enhanced its organ transplantation capabilities through its exceptional healthcare system, advanced infrastructure, and skilled professionals. These elements work together to ensure that organ transplantation services adhere to international best practices and utilise the latest technologies and innovations. Since the launch of the National Program for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (HYATT) in 2017, Abu Dhabi has experienced a consistent increase in organ transplant procedures, exceeding 800 operations by the end of 2023, contributing to saving and improving the lives of many patients.”
The transplant was performed by a team of four cardiothoracic surgeons, two cardiothoracic anaesthesiologists, five cardiothoracic specialised nurses, two perfusion experts and took more than eight hours due to its complexity. Post-surgery, the patient was monitored in the ICU and received comprehensive care.
