King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre

On World Organ Donation Day KFSHRC Announces 10 Kidney Exchange Transplants Completed in 48 Hours

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) successfully performed 10 kidney exchange transplants over two consecutive days, setting a global record for the highest number of such procedures conducted within a two-day span at a single center, coinciding with World Organ Donation Day on August 13. This milestone reinforces KFSHRC’s position as a global leader in organ transplantation.

This accomplishment reflects the hospital’s high clinical readiness, the seamless coordination of its multidisciplinary medical teams, and its advanced systems for managing donor-recipient matching, alongside its extensive experience in executing complex transplant procedures. All of these factors enable KFSHRC to carry out this type of exchange transplantation with precision and within an exceptionally short timeframe.

Paired kidney transplantation is an innovative approach that matches donor–patient pairs for mutual exchange. In this system, each donor gives a kidney to a patient with whom they have no direct relation, while their own relative receives a kidney from another donor. The process significantly improves compatibility rates and offers new hope to patients who face challenges in finding a suitable match within their families.

Last year, KFSHRC celebrated a major milestone by completing more than 500 paired kidney transplants since the program was launched in 2011. Since launching its organ transplantation program in 1981, the hospital has successfully performed over 5,000 kidney transplants, placing it among an elite group of global transplant centers.

In 2024, the hospital conducted 80 pediatric kidney transplants, the highest annual volume reported worldwide. This makes KFSHRC’s pediatric kidney transplant program the largest of its kind compared to leading centers in the United States and Europe.

This remarkable achievement underscores KFSHRC’s commitment to its vision of being the provider of choice for specialized healthcare. By leveraging its skilled workforce, advanced technologies, and the integration of research and clinical programs, the hospital aims to deliver world-class treatment experiences both locally and globally, while enhancing the Kingdom’s position as a leader in organ transplantation.

KFSHRC has been ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa and 15th globally in the list of the world’s top 250 Academic Medical Centers for the second consecutive year and has been 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

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b0a64186-5706-4ea6-9bf3-348ab7113ed9