King’s Liver Transplant Centre Of Excellence
For Adults and Pediatrics

Liver Transplant Centre of Excellence in Dubai

King’s College Hospital London in Dubai became the first hospital in the UAE to receive a license to perform liver transplants, and over the years, the center has grown into a place where patients and families come when the situation becomes complex enough to need a truly experienced team. People often arrive with long histories of liver disease, repeated flare-ups, or new diagnoses that raise a lot of questions. Our role isn’t only to treat the condition itself but to guide people through decisions that may feel overwhelming. The transplant program here was built with direct input from the team at King’s College Hospital in London, which means patients in Dubai have access to the same standards and approach used at one of the most respected liver centers internationally.

What does the Liver Transplant service do?

The liver transplant team at King’s College Hospital London in Dubai looks after people with advanced liver disease who may need a transplant now or in the near future. Most patients come to us when their symptoms begin interfering with daily life or when their doctors notice changes that point to worsening liver function. The team reviews each case carefully — looking at blood work, scans, medical history, and how the illness has been progressing — before deciding whether someone is ready for transplant evaluation.
Some people are assessed quickly because their condition is changing fast; others move through the process at a steadier pace. The goal is always the same: to understand exactly where the patient stands and create a clear plan that blends medical treatment, lifestyle guidance, and preparation for transplant if needed.

We often support patients with:

• Cirrhosis from any cause
• Acute or sudden liver failure
• Metabolic and genetic liver disease
• Alcohol-related liver disease
• Primary liver cancers
  Biliary conditions that progress over time
• Complications from fatty liver disease

When should you see us?

People generally reach out when they notice that the liver is no longer coping well. That might look like jaundice that simply won’t settle, swelling around the abdomen or legs, bouts of fatigue that make everyday life difficult, or imaging results that show concerning changes. Sometimes the reason is more urgent, such as acute liver failure, liver cancer, pancreatitis, or complications from longstanding cirrhosis.

In children, the reasons vary—parents may be told their newborn has jaundice that isn’t improving, or that their child has biliary atresia, a metabolic liver issue, or cholestasis. In these situations, speaking to a transplant team early can help families understand what to expect, even if a transplant is not needed immediately.

What conditions do we treat and what services do we offer?

The center manages many conditions, including chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, autoimmune liver disease, metabolic liver disorders, portal hypertension, acute and chronic liver failure, pancreatic inflammation, pancreatic cancer, bile duct disease, cholangiocarcinoma, gallstone complications, and certain neuroendocrine tumors.

To address these, we offer a wide range of services—from outpatient consultations and diagnostic work-ups to complex surgeries. These include liver transplants using living or deceased donors, advanced liver and pancreatic surgery, laparoscopic procedures, ERCP and EUS for biliary and pancreatic issues, ablation therapies, TIPSS, BRTO, transarterial chemoembolization, and several types of liver biopsy.

Children have access to specialized transplant techniques, including reduced-size grafts and split-liver transplants, carried out by surgeons trained at King’s in London. This approach often helps young patients recover more easily and safely.

How does the liver transplant evaluation work?

A transplant workup can sound overwhelming, but the process itself is more straightforward than most people expect. It usually moves through a few stages, and the team guides you through each one.

1. Initial meeting: You sit down with the transplant doctor and talk through what’s been happening — your symptoms, past illnesses, and how you’ve been managing day to day. Nothing rushed; it’s mostly conversation.
2. Diagnostic Testing: Blood tests, scans, and a few heart or lung checks follow. These aren’t done all at once. They’re spaced out so the team can see the full picture without putting too much strain on you.
3. Multidisciplinary Team review: Once the tests are in, several specialists look everything over together. Surgeons, hepatologists, and anesthesiologists — each adds a different angle so nothing gets missed.
4. Discussion with patient and family: You come back in, and the doctor explains how things look. This part is usually less technical than people expect. It’s more about understanding where your liver stands and what the safest path forward might be.
5. Surgery Prep: If a transplant is the right next step, you meet the broader team — the coordinators, dietitians, and nurses who help you prepare. They walk you through practical things, not just medical details.
6. Matching & Planning: When a donor option becomes available, the team gets everything lined up and talks you through what the days around surgery will look like, from arrival to recovery.

Who are the best doctors for liver transplant care in Dubai?

The best doctors for liver transplant care in Dubai are Prof. Mohamed Rela, Dr. Rakesh Rai, Dr. Kaiser Raja, Dr. Farooq Khan, Dr. Rehan Saif, Dr. Praveen Peddu, Dr. Nageswar Bandla, and Dr. Abderrhaim Ali Mohammedali Dabora at King’s College Hospital Dubai. Between them, they cover transplant surgery, hepatology, anesthesia, radiology, critical care, and HPB surgery, bringing together a group that handles even the most complicated cases.

Why choose King’s College Hospital Dubai?

Families choose King’s College Hospital Dubai because the center brings together experienced clinicians, advanced facilities, and a direct clinical partnership with King’s College Hospital London. This means the care delivered here follows the same clinical reasoning, safety checks, and surgical techniques used at a center that has shaped liver transplantation for decades.

Another reason is the way care is organized. Rather than seeing one specialist at a time, patients have their cases discussed by several consultants from different specialties. Donor safety is treated as a priority, and the team has long experience caring for donors and recipients through the entire process. For people who once had to travel abroad for treatment, having access to this level of expertise in Dubai makes a difficult journey a little easier.

How can I book an appointment?

If you or your child has been advised to seek an opinion for serious liver disease, pancreatitis, liver cancer, biliary problems, or if transplantation has been mentioned as a possibility, our team can guide you through the next steps. To arrange an appointment or a second opinion, contact the Liver Transplant Centre of Excellence at King’s College Hospital Dubai, and our coordinators will help organize the visit.