# High-risk cornea transplant at Bambino Gesù Hospital

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/high-risk-cornea-transplant-at-bambino-ges-hospital
> Updated: 2026-08-23T15:53:41.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

In July 2026, the Bambino Gesù Hospital in Italy successfully completed a high-risk cornea transplant for a 20-year-old patient. The individual suffered from propionic acidemia and severe dilated cardiomyopathy, which presented an “exceptionally high anesthetic risk.”

A multidisciplinary task force developed a customized 18-hour protocol involving metabolic therapy and continuous cardiac monitoring to ensure the patient’s safety during the procedure. The surgery successfully preserved the patient’s vision and avoided a potentially fatal emergency.

## Claims

- Hospital Salvador Bienvenido Gautier successfully performed its first cornea transplant. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The patient is over 60 years old and had lost vision in both eyes due to cataract surgery complications. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The corneal tissue was donated by a cornea bank in the United States. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The surgical procedure lasted a maximum of one hour. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Full vision recovery can take between one month and one year. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- A second transplant will be required for the patient's other eye once the first is successful. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-23: Hospital Salvador B. Gautier performs first successful cornea transplant

Hospital Salvador Bienvenido Gautier performed its first successful cornea transplant on a patient over 60, using tissue donated from a United States cornea bank.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hospital-salvador-b-gautier-performs-first-successful-cornea-transplant

### 2026-08-04: Bambino Gesù Hospital completes high‑risk cornea transplant for 20‑year‑old patient

A 20‑year‑old with propionic acidemia and cardiomyopathy received a successful high‑risk cornea transplant at Bambino Gesù Hospital after a multidisciplinary team prepared a tailored anesthetic protocol.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bambino-ges-hospital-completes-highrisk-cornea-transplant-for-20yearold-patient

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Cite as: High-risk cornea transplant at Bambino Gesù Hospital. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/high-risk-cornea-transplant-at-bambino-ges-hospital