Saudi Center Performs Kingdom's First Corneal Retrieval

A medical team from the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation (SCOT), working with the organ donation unit at King Saud Medical City in Riyadh, has performed the Kingdom's first corneal retrieval from a deceased donor following cardiac death. The procedure took place in early September 2026 and marks a significant expansion of domestic tissue-transplant capabilities.

The retrieved corneas were transported to the Eye Bank at King Abdulaziz Medical City under the Ministry of National Guard in Riyadh for evaluation, processing, preservation and later transplantation, following approved medical quality standards.

The retrieval is part of a pilot initiative launched on 10 August 2026 involving King Saud Medical City and King Abdulaziz Medical City. The programme aims to expand corneal donation opportunities, build a sustainable domestic supply of corneal tissue, and restore sight to patients waiting for transplants. It establishes a new pathway for corneal donation after cardiac death, distinct from long-standing transplantation in Saudi Arabia that previously relied mainly on imported corneas or earlier cadaveric programmes.

Why it matters

SCOT oversees organ and tissue donation and transplantation across the Kingdom, coordinating donor identification, retrieval logistics and distribution to approved transplant centres and tissue banks. A brain-dead donor may donate the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, intestines, bones, corneas and heart valves within a regulated framework supervised by SCOT and the Ministry of Health.

Residents wishing to register their intent to donate organs and tissues after death, including corneas, can do so through the Tawakkalna Services application, which offers an in-app organ donor registration service. Registration alone is not legally sufficient to authorise retrieval; written consent from the family is obtained at the time of death, so confirming the wish with relatives is part of the process.

Living donors who wish to donate certain organs or tissues must present themselves at an approved transplant centre recognised by SCOT, meet minimum age and health criteria, provide a written declaration, and have compatible blood types, with the condition that donation must not harm the donor or recipient.

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