5 days ago
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi saves Kuwaiti mother's life with double organ transplant
13 Aug 2025 15:24
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has successfully carried out a combined liver and kidney transplant on Nashami, a Kuwaiti mother of three, who was diagnosed with advanced liver disease and kidney failure caused by primary biliary by doctors in Kuwait and the UK for the hospital's expertise in advanced transplant care, Nashami was placed on a shared UAE-Kuwait waiting list under the organ sharing agreement established between both countries in programme has saved over 180 lives through coordinated efforts between medical teams, embassies, airports and surgery was performed by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi's multidisciplinary transplant team with minimal blood loss, and reduced time between donor organ retrieval and transplantation to preserve organ function.
In June 2024, Kuwaiti national Nashami was enjoying a family holiday when she began noticing unusual symptoms such as extreme fatigue, swollen feet, and alarmingly, the yellowing of her eyes. She initially attributed the symptoms to exhaustion from travelling but became concerned when her symptoms continued to persist.
Upon consulting doctors in Kuwait, an ultrasound revealed her diagnosis: severe hepatic cirrhosis and kidney failure caused by primary biliary cirrhosis, an autoimmune disease that damages the bile ducts and liver and can impair kidney function. In need of an urgent combined liver and kidney transplant, her doctors recommended the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi's multi-organ transplant center in the UAE.'From the moment I arrived at the hospital, I was welcomed by the warmth and professionalism of the caregivers, as well as the world-class facility,' Nashami seamless coordination between medical teams in Kuwait and Abu Dhabi, Nashami was swiftly placed on the transplant waiting list. On the day of the surgery, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi's transplant experts first conducted the liver transplant, followed by the kidney Nashami leads a healthy, fulfilling life back in Kuwait, continuing her follow-ups with Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Expressing her gratitude, Nashami shares, 'I now proudly call Abu Dhabi my second home.'Dr. Luis Campos, Staff Physician, Abdominal Transplant, said the complexity of the case demonstrated the strength of the hospital's integrated teams and surgical protocols. Dr. Baraa Abduljawad, Staff Physician, Critical Care, noted that optimising the timing of transplantation significantly improves launching the UAE's first multi-organ transplant programme in 2017, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has completed over 900 transplants, including liver, kidney, heart and lung procedures. In 2024 alone, it treated patients from more than 100 countries, many requiring highly complex, life-saving the National Programme for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Hayat), and with the support of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the hospital continues to transform donations into second chances for critically ill patients.
Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
