Abu Dhabi: A 43-year-old Indonesian resident of Abu Dhabi, who suffered a sudden liver failure, has been given a new lease on life following an urgent liver transplant.
In a story coinciding with World Organ Donation Day today, the patient Nur told Gulf News she was extremely grateful to everyone who had made the impossible possible.
“After learning about my condition, I was really scared—it all happened so suddenly. But fortunately, the doctors and authorities came together and their support brought me back to life. I still can’t believe those tough days are behind me.” she said.
Nur, who suffered from liver injury, had developed acute fulminant liver failure when she was brought to the Burjeel Medical City in Abu Dhabi.
As Dr. Rehan Saif, Director for Burjeel Abdominal Multi-Organ Transplant Programme, explained, it was an emergency situation.
“The patient was brought in with acute liver injury due to seronegative hepatitis, which soon developed into acute fulminant liver failure. Managing such a condition is extremely challenging due to the rapid progression and severe complications without a transplant. The patient met the criteria for a super-urgent liver transplant requiring immediate intervention,” he said.
However, there were no local donors available, but a GCC-wide alert was issued and a compatible liver identified in Kuwait.
Subsequently, Burjeel Medical City, the National Centre for Organ Donation and Transplant at the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP), and other regional entities facilitated coordiinated with each other to ensure the liver from Kuwait was brought to Abu dhabi within the critical 48-hour window.
Patients with acute liver failure are at risk of severe jaundice, bleeding, encephalopathy (neurological impairment), infections and multi-organ failure, doctors said.
In Nur’s case, the jaundice had already set in and the acute liver failure had begun to affect her brain.
“This condition has a very high mortality risk - of over 80 per cent - if a liver transplant is not performed within 48 hours once the criteria are met. So, it was crucial to find a compatible donor and perform the transplant as soon as possible,” said Dr. Saif.
Swift action was taken to facilitate the transplant. The National Centre for Organ Donation and Transplant organised a private charter aircraft to transport the liver from Kuwait to Abu Dhabi.
The complexity of the procedure required meticulous planning and coordination between multiple specialties. While Dr. Gourab Sen, Consultant General Surgery, HPB & Transplantation, traveled to Kuwait to retrieve the donor liver, Dr. Saif and Dr. Johns Shaji Mathew, Abdominal Transplant and HPB Surgeon, prepared the patient for the transplant at BMC. The liver was successfully transported from Kuwait to BMC, where the surgical team was ready to perform the life-saving procedure. Dr Ramamurthy Baskaran, Consultant Transplant Anesthesia, was also part of the medical team.
“We had to ensure that the timing was precise to minimise the ischemic time—the period the liver is out of the body. This was crucial for the success of the transplant,” said Dr. Shaji Mathew.
The operation, including the retrieval and transplantation, took approximately 14 hours from start to finish.
“The main message is the crucial need for early identification of acute liver failure and timely referral to a transplant center,” said Dr. Saif. “This can make the difference between life and death.”
Nur, who has recovered well, has been discharged from the hospital.
“She can look forward to leading a completely normal and healthy life, thanks to the graciousness of the donor’s family who saved her life in time,” said Dr. Saif.
The Emirati family the patient worked for played an important role in ensuring she received immediate medical attention and provided her support.
“She is like family to us, and we are grateful to Burjeel Medical City, medical professionals, and authorities involved in her care. The swift response and treatment she received were exceptional,” said Reem Hasan Albaloushi.
“What happened to her was a complete shock to us. However, the support and care she received from the collaborative efforts of the doctors and agencies have been incredible. She is a fighter, and we are happy to see her recover,” said Laelatul Fitri, Nur’s sister.
