Successful Paired Kidney Transplants Under the National Kidney Exchange Program

The Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation, in collaboration with King Abdulaziz Medical City – National Guard and King Fahd Specialist Hospital, successfully performed two paired kidney transplant procedures. These operations ended the suffering of two patients with end-stage renal disease and restored their hope for a healthier life.

Dr. Talal bin Turki Al-Qoufi, Director General of the Center, explained that these procedures were carried out as part of the National Kidney Exchange Program, launched on August 13, 2024. The program aims to increase access to compatible living donors by enabling donor-recipient matching across transplant centers throughout the Kingdom.

He noted that the procedures involved careful coordination between two families whose members were unable to donate directly to their relatives due to incompatibility. Through the exchange program, suitable alternative donors were identified within the matching pool. With this achievement, the total number of beneficiaries since the program’s launch has reached nine patients.

In closing, Dr. Al-Qoufi expressed his appreciation to all participating medical teams, commending their dedication and efforts in saving lives and restoring hope to patients and their families.