RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a step that solidifies its position as a leading healthcare institution regionally and internationally, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) celebrated its success in performing 500 paired kidney transplants since the inception of its Kidney Paired Donation Program in 2011. This unprecedented achievement, unmatched by any other healthcare institution in the Kingdom or the Middle East, cements its reputation as a global leader in organ transplant and strengthens its pioneering role in providing innovative solutions for kidney failure patients.

Since the beginning of this year alone, KFSHRC has successfully performed 100 paired kidney transplants, marking a significant achievement in innovative healthcare solutions and improving the patient’s chances of receiving a compatible kidney. This is based on a precise mechanism that enables the exchange of kidneys between patients whose blood types or tissues are incompatible with their original donors. By facilitating donor exchanges between different patients, the program ensures higher compatibility rates, offering a solution for those who previously struggled to find suitable donors.

Women accounted for 62% of the Kidney Paired Donation Program beneficiaries, while men represented 38%. Additionally, 29 children benefited from the program, highlighting the diverse range of cases addressed by this innovative organ transplantation initiative.

At the Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh, KFSHRC participates as a Platinum Sponsor, where it presents visitors with insights into the Kidney Paired Donation Program and its impact on enhancing healthcare, along with a range of other health solutions and innovations.

This achievement has raised the total number of successful kidney transplants at KFSHRC to 5,000 since the inception of its Organ Transplant Program in 1981, positioning the hospital among a select group of elite healthcare centers worldwide that have reached this significant milestone in kidney transplantation. KFSHRC has achieved one-year post-transplant patient survival rates of 97% to 99%, reflecting the effectiveness of the healthcare system at KFSHRC's Organ Transplant Center of Excellence and the hospital's commitment to its humanitarian mission of improving patients' lives.

Kidney transplantation at KFSHRC stands as a cornerstone of the hospital’s expertise, having amassed extensive experience over the past four decades, with consistent growth in both the number of transplants performed and patient survival rates. Last year alone, it performed 80 pediatric kidney transplants, the highest number conducted by any individual center in the United States and Europe. Since 2010, KFSHRC has completed 3,000 kidney transplants, including approximately 1,250 in the last three years.

It is noteworthy that KFSHRC has been ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 20th globally in the list of the world’s top 250 Academic Medical Centres for the second consecutive year and recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East, according to the 2024 Brand Finance rankings. Additionally, in the same year, it was ranked among the world's best 250 hospitals and included in the World’s Best Smart Hospitals list for 2025 by Newsweek magazine. For more information, visit www.kfshrc.edu.sa or contact our media team at mediacoverage@kfshrc.edu.sa

Media Contact:
Essam AlZahrani
+966 55 525 4429
mediacoverage@kfshrc.edu.sa

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c900fae2-b8bc-4d90-ab53-9250a3d3e5f4