At 30 years old, Suhail Alblooshi was facing end-stage heart failure. His lungs were filled with fluid, and emergency hospital visits had become routine. When local medical centers in Dubai could not provide a solution, the UAE’s Department of Health initiated contact with Cedars-Sinai International, setting in motion a medical journey that would span continents.
“Our life was in the car. We were always going back and forth to the hospital… It was the only way to get him to sleep,” said Fatima Hussain, Suhail’s mother, describing the months before his departure to Los Angeles.
Cross-border care coordination
Suhail, accompanied by his mother and cousin, traveled from Dubai to Cedars-Sinai in September 2022. The Cedars-Sinai International Patient Services team managed all logistics, from travel arrangements to translation services.
“We do everything we can to make sure our international patients feel supported and comfortable throughout their care journey,” said Wafik Gobrial, manager of Patient Services at Cedars-Sinai.
The medical center serves over 2,000 international patients from more than 100 countries annually, managing complex cases requiring extended care periods away from patients’ home countries.
Critical deterioration
Within weeks of arrival, Suhail’s condition worsened dramatically. He experienced cardiac arrest twice and was placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to maintain cardiovascular and pulmonary function. Concurrent kidney failure necessitated dialysis support. Unable to speak or move independently, Suhail remained in intensive care while his family confronted the possibility of loss.
“More than once, we thought we were going to lose him,” said Dr. Farzin Samadi, primary care physician at Cedars-Sinai.
High-risk dual organ transplant
In February 2023, Suhail was added to the transplant list for both cardiac and renal replacement. A compatible donor match was identified within days. The organs were transported via helicopter through inclement weather, and Suhail was immediately transferred to the operating theater.
The surgical team conducted an eight-hour procedure, performing sequential heart and kidney transplantation. The technical complexity was heightened by the patient’s prolonged ECMO support, which had depleted clotting factors and elevated hemorrhage risk.
“Any open-chest procedure carries risks. In Suhail’s case, it was even more dangerous. But we never gave up,” said Dr. Andriana Nikolova, cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai.
The post-operative period required careful immunosuppression management to prevent organ rejection while monitoring for infectious complications.
Return to normal life
By December 2023, Suhail returned to Dubai with ambulatory assistance, demonstrating progressive strength recovery and improved functional capacity.
“When I came home, it felt like I was seeing it all for the first time. Like I was in a new life… and a new world,” Suhail said.
A remarkable transplant record
In 2024, the Cedars-Sinai Comprehensive Transplant Center and the Smidt Heart Institute achieved a landmark milestone, completing 682 solid-organ transplants – the highest number performed in a single year at the institution. Patient survival outcomes continued to meet or exceed US national benchmarks, underscoring the program’s clinical excellence.
“Behind every transplant is a patient who desperately waited for a chance at life,” said Dr. Irene Kim, Director of the Cedars-Sinai Comprehensive Transplant Center. “It is the remarkable generosity of organ donors and their families, that allowed our transplant teams to give 682 patients the chance to have longer and healthier lives.”
Cedars-Sinai remains among the top 10 transplant centers in the United States by volume, as recognized by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.
Over the past decade, Cedars-Sinai’s transplant program has grown by 84%, driven by advances in organ preservation, an expanded ability to treat complex cases, and innovations such as machine-perfusion technology – allowing successful transplantation of organs once considered unsuitable.
Founded in 1902, Cedars-Sinai is a leading non-profit academic healthcare organization in Los Angeles. Its International Patient Services team provides global patients with multilingual support, priority access to specialists, and coordination with referring entities.
Cedars-Sinai International earned the Global Healthcare Accreditation (GHA) for Medical Travel Services for the second time, recognizing its commitment to delivering world-class, safe, and culturally attuned care for patients traveling from around the world.
- For more information, visit: www.cedars-sinai.org/international-patients.html
