Surgeons at the Salman Al-Dabbous Cardiac Center have carried out Kuwait's 18th heart transplant, operating on an 18-year-old patient, the Ministry of Health announced on Monday.

The ministry described the procedure as a new step for the national heart transplant program. It said the operation reflects the growing ability of its specialized teams to handle complex surgery.

The young man had a congenital heart defect that had progressed to advanced heart muscle failure. His severe symptoms disrupted his daily life and made a transplant necessary, according to the ministry. When a donor heart became available, doctors completed a medical assessment to confirm it was suitable and compatible before proceeding with the operation.

Dr Abdullah Al-Hudaib and Dr Mohammad Al-Ayyar performed the transplant, joined by Dr Khaled Al-Otaibi from Saudi Arabia. Dr Badr Al-Ayyad oversaw the medical and immunological aspects of the patient's care. He heads the center's Cardiology Department and its Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Unit.

Al-Ayyad credited the operation's success to teamwork among medical and specialist teams. He called it an important milestone in establishing the program and in widening advanced treatment options for patients with advanced heart failure.

He praised the organ procurement team led by Dr Saja Sorour. Procedures of this precision, he noted, rely on close coordination between the procurement, transplant, surgical, anesthesia and intensive care teams, as well as nursing and technical staff, at every stage.

Al-Ayyad also thanked the donor and the donor's family, saying organ donation brings hope to patients on the waiting list. Further development of the program and stronger cooperation across specialties would allow more patients in Kuwait to benefit, he added.