In a groundbreaking achievement, King’s College Hospital London in Dubai has successfully performed the UAE’s first split liver transplant, using a single donor liver to save the lives of two patients – a six-month-old baby and an adult. This highly complex, life-saving procedure marks a major milestone in the advancement of transplant surgery in the region.
The cadaveric liver was divided in a highly specialized process known as in-situ splitting, allowing for two separate liver transplants to take place simultaneously in two operating theatres. One third of the liver was transplanted into a 6-month-old infant, weighing only 6 kilograms, suffering from biliary atresia, while the remaining two-thirds was successfully transplanted into an adult patient diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis.
“This is unique because this was the first time a liver was divided and shared between an adult and a pediatric patient in the UAE,” said Professor Mohamed Rela, Director of King’s College Hospital Dubai Liver Transplant Centre of Excellence, Liver Surgeon and Transplantation. “The donor operation itself is very complicated, because the liver has to be divided during the donor retrieval, and the technique is called ‘in-situ splitting’ two transplants have to take place at the same time in two operating theatres with two teams of surgeons… Both patients are doing really well, off the ventilator and are not in a critical state any longer.”
The pediatric patient was referred to King’s at five months of age with jaundice that had developed during the second week of life. The condition had progressed rapidly, and the child’s liver was failing. The split liver transplant was successfully performed at six months of age, and the infant is now stable with normalizing liver function tests.
Dr Rajeev Tomar, Consultant Pediatrician and Director of the Pediatric Liver Transplant Program at King’s College Hospital London in Dubai, stated: “This was a very delicate case involving a young baby whose condition was deteriorating rapidly. The success of the surgery and the positive recovery are a testament to the expertise of our transplant team and the integrated approach we take between pediatric and adult care.”
Leading the adult transplant team, Dr Kaiser Raja, Consultant Hepatologist and Director of the Adult Liver Transplant Program at King’s, added: “Primary sclerosing cholangitis is a progressive and serious liver disease with no cure except liver transplantation. By successfully performing a split liver transplant and using one organ for two recipients, we’ve not only made transplant surgery more efficient, but have also proven that it’s possible to expand access to lifesaving treatment in the UAE.”
The success of this case reinforces King’s College Hospital’s position as a regional leader in liver transplantation, combining internationally renowned expertise with local innovation. The hospital’s Liver Transplant Centre of Excellence is one of the few in the region equipped to perform such advanced procedures with a fully integrated multidisciplinary team.
“We are proud to have achieved this milestone in the UAE,” added Professor Mohamed Rela. “This is not only a triumph for medical science but also a symbol of what is possible when world-class care and collaboration come together.”
King’s College Hospital Dubai extends its deepest gratitude to the donor family, who made this life-saving procedure possible. We also acknowledge the vital support of the Hayat National Programme for Organ Donation and Transplantation and the National Center for Organ Donation and Transplantation, whose coordination and commitment continue to transform lives across the UAE.
