Liver Transplantation
liver transplant in dubai
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When facing advanced liver disease, timely and expert intervention is critical. Our King’s Liver Transplant Centre of Excellence offers internationally recognized care for both adults and children. As the first licensed centre for liver transplant in Dubai, we combine clinical precision with compassion, making us a leading choice in the region.
Understanding When a Liver Transplant Is Needed
A liver transplant is considered when the liver is no longer able to carry out its essential functions due to severe damage. Conditions that may necessitate liver transplant surgery in Dubai include:
- End-stage liver disease (cirrhosis)
- Acute liver failure
- Chronic viral hepatitis (B and C)
- Liver cancer (under transplant criteria)
- Genetic and metabolic liver diseases
- Autoimmune liver conditions
- Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or MAFLD
If other treatments fail to manage the disease, a transplant might be the only life-saving option.
What to Expect During Liver Transplant Surgery
Liver transplant surgery in Dubai at King’s involves the removal of the diseased liver and its replacement with a healthy liver from either a living or deceased donor. Each procedure follows a thorough and personalized approach:
- Pre-operative assessments by our multidisciplinary team
- Coordination with transplant registries or living donor evaluation
- The transplant surgery, typically lasting between 6 to 12 hours
- Intensive care monitoring post-operation
- Continued post-operative care and rehabilitation
Thanks to the liver’s regenerative ability, living donor liver transplants have become a safe and effective option.
Why King’s Leads in Liver Transplants
Patients who choose King’s benefit from the legacy and expertise of one of the world’s top liver centres. Here’s what makes us a trusted name in liver transplant in Dubai:
- Experienced and internationally trained liver transplant surgeons in Dubai
- Fully equipped surgical suites and dedicated liver intensive care units
- Integrated care from diagnosis to recovery
- Close collaboration with King’s College Hospital in London
- Individualized care for both paediatric and adult patients
Liver Transplant Services
- Liver Transplantation
- Paediatric Liver Transplant
- Living Donor Transplant
- Split Cadaveric Liver Transplants
- Reduced-Size Liver Transplants
- Monsosegment liver transplant
- Auxiliary liver transplantation
- Minimally Invasive and Microsurgical Procedures
- Hepaticobiliary surgery
- Cadaver liver transplants(deceased doner liver transplants)
The Power of Living Donor Liver Transplants
For those unable to wait for a deceased donor liver, our living donor transplant program offers a faster alternative. A healthy portion of liver from a compatible donor—often a family member—is transplanted, with both donor and recipient liver tissue regenerating over time.
Benefits of this approach include:
- Reduced waiting time
- Timely surgery, improving outcomes
- Carefully planned operations with lower complications
- Excellent donor recovery rates
Safety and Success at King’s Liver Transplant Centre of Excellence
Our centre is recognized for outstanding outcomes in liver transplant surgery in Dubai:
- High transplant survival rates
- Zero major complications for donors
- Strict pre-op and post-op protocols
- Full-spectrum rehabilitation support
Donor safety is a core commitment, and our multidisciplinary team works relentlessly to maintain these high standards.
Integrated Care for Liver, Bile Duct, and Pancreas Disorders
King’s Liver Centre offers more than transplant services. Our facility is a regional hub for advanced liver, biliary, and pancreatic disease management.
Conditions We Treat Include:
- Liver cirrhosis and failure
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
- Autoimmune hepatitis
- Bile duct and gallbladder cancers
- Acute and chronic pancreatitis
Conditions We Treat Include:
- Liver Transplantation (Living and Deceased Donor)
Surgical replacement of the diseased liver with a healthy one, restoring vital liver function.
- Laparoscopic Liver and Bile Duct Surgery
Minimally invasive approach that reduces recovery time and pain.
- TIPSS, RFA, and MWA
Techniques like Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPSS), Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA), and Microwave Ablation (MWA) to treat complications and liver tumors.
- Endoscopic Biliary Drainage (ERCP)
Non-surgical procedure using an endoscope to diagnose and treat bile duct issues.
- Liver Biopsy (EUS-assisted or Imaging-guided)
Accurate diagnostic method to assess liver inflammation or damage without invasive surgery.
All procedures are supported by experienced hepatologists, radiologists, anesthetists, ICU physicians, and liver-focused nursing teams.
Begin Your Liver Care Journey with King’s Today
Facing liver disease is daunting, but you don’t have to go through it alone. At King’s Liver Transplant Center in Dubai, we offer leading-edge expertise in liver transplant surgery in Dubai, underpinned by compassionate, patient-first care.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A liver transplant replaces a severely damaged liver with a healthy one. It is usually recommended for patients with liver failure, advanced cirrhosis, or specific types of liver cancer.
Match criteria include blood type, organ size, and overall medical compatibility. Matches can come from deceased donors or living relatives.
Potential risks include bleeding, infection, or rejection of the new liver. These are minimized through pre-surgical evaluations and post-operative monitoring.
Recovery typically requires a hospital stay of 2–3 weeks, followed by 3–6 months of outpatient care and medication to prevent rejection.
Yes. Donors undergo comprehensive evaluation and surgery in a controlled setting. The liver regenerates within a few months, and donors usually return to daily routines quickly.
- Deceased Donor Liver Transplant (DDLT): The liver is obtained from a brain-dead donor.
- Living Donor Liver Transplant (LDLT): A healthy person donates a portion (usually 40–60%) of their liver.
- Split Liver Transplant: A deceased donor liver is split and transplanted into two recipients — often one adult and one child.
- Auxiliary Liver Transplant: A part of a donor liver is attached to the patient’s diseased liver to assist in recovery.
Candidates typically have irreversible liver damage but are otherwise healthy enough to undergo major surgery. Evaluation includes:
- Blood tests and imaging (CT/MRI)
- Cardiac and pulmonary assessment
- Nutritional evaluation
- Psychological and social assessment
The patient should not have uncontrolled infections, active substance abuse, or certain cancers outside the liver.
Potential donors undergo:
- Blood type compatibility testing
- Liver function tests and imaging (CT/MRI) to assess anatomy and volume
- Psychological evaluation to ensure voluntary consent
Only donors with excellent health and sufficient liver volume are approved.
The success rate of liver transplants is generally high, with over 85–90% of patients surviving the first year after surgery and leading a better quality of life.
Yes. The liver has a very unique ability to regenerate, meaning both the donor’s and recipient’s liver portions can regrow to normal size within a few months.
A transplant is usually recommended for:
- Cirrhosis (due to hepatitis B or C, alcohol abuse, or fatty liver disease)
- Acute liver failure from sudden injury or viral infection
- Liver cancer (Hepatocellular carcinoma) within transplant criteria
- Genetic/metabolic disorders like Wilson’s disease or hemochromatosis
- Biliary atresia and congenital liver diseases (in children)
The surgery usually lasts 6–12 hours, depending on complexity, previous surgeries, and anatomy. It involves multiple surgical teams working simultaneously.
Living donors usually stay in the hospital for 5–10 days and can return to work within 6–8 weeks. The liver regenerates to near-normal size in both donor and recipient within a few months.
- Maintain optimal nutrition and physical fitness.
- Avoid alcohol and smoking.
- Stay updated on vaccinations.
- Prepare emotionally and financially for surgery and recovery.
- Discuss in advance with your family or support system about post-transplant care.
- Take medications regularly as prescribed.
- Eat a balanced diet low in fat, salt, and sugar.
- Avoid alcohol completely.
- Exercise moderately after medical clearance.
While success rates are high, possible complications include:
- Acute or chronic rejection of the new liver
- Infections due to lowered immunity
- Bile duct complications (leak or narrowing)
- Bleeding or clotting disorders
- Recurrence of the original liver disease (like hepatitis)
Prompt follow-up and medication compliance greatly reduce these risks.
- Pre-transplant evaluation to confirm eligibility.
- Listing on the transplant waiting list (for deceased donor).
- Surgery: The diseased liver is removed, and the new liver (or part) is implanted.
- Post-surgery care: Intensive monitoring in the ICU, followed by recovery in a specialized transplant unit.
- Rehabilitation: Gradual return to normal activities, ongoing follow-up, and lifelong medication.
Book your consultation today with a liver transplant surgeon in Dubai and take the first step toward recovery.
