Liver Transplantation at KFSHRC: Achievement and Challenges

• Main Authors: Mohammed I. Al Sebayel, Faisal A. Abaalkhail, Hamad Al Bahili, Almoutaz Hashim Abdo, Hussein A. Elsiesy, Mohammed S. Al Sofayan, Yasser M. El Sheikh, Bassem S. Hegab, Yasser M. Kamel, Talal T. AlGoufi, Hazem H. Hasssan, Martin M. Burdelski, Mohammad A. Al Shagrani, Mohamed R. Abdelfattah, Khaled M. Attallah, Talat Z. Mahmood, Yahya Z. Saleh, Firas Zahr Eldeen, Dieter C. Broering
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre 2014-03-01
• Series: Annals of Saudi Medicine
• Online Access: https://www.annsaudimed.net/doi/full/10.5144/0256-4947.2014.103
• ISSN: 0256-4947; 0975-4466

The liver transplantation program at KFSHRC has been active since 2001. More than 450 liver transplants have been performed so far. The program evolved from adult cadaveric transplant to living donor and recently to pediatric and split techniques. The 1-year survival of patients for both pediatric and adult exceeded 90% and the 5-year survival of patients is more than 80%. Associated with this success are challenges that include: organ shortage, quality of organ harvested, inability to meet the growing national need, increased demand of resource to meet the need of the program, and lack of a collaborative national strategy in organ donation and transplantation.