Surgeons at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC) successfully performed the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant on a 16-year-old patient suffering from end-stage heart failure.
The procedure took two and a half hours. It was performed by a team led by Saudi cardiac surgeon Dr Feras Khaliel, head of cardiac surgery and director of the robotics and minimally invasive surgery program at KFSHRC.
The process began with detailed theoretical planning to ensure precision and minimise potential risks.
The team then devised a surgical approach to access the heart and perform the transplant without opening the chest.
To ensure the effectiveness of the innovative approach, the team practised the procedure virtually seven consecutive times over three days before performing it on the patient.
The achievement marks a significant shift in heart transplant surgery, moving away from traditional chest-opening procedures that require long recovery periods, often lasting weeks or months and limiting the patient’s ability to perform basic daily activities.
Robotic technology allows for minimally invasive surgery, reducing pain, shortening recovery time, and minimising the risk of complications. Thus, patients' quality of life and recovery are significantly improved.
Dr Majid Al Fayyad, CEO of KFSHRC, hailed this achievement as a significant advancement in heart transplantation since the historic first heart transplant performed in the 1960s. He said: ‘The success of the world’s first robotic heart transplant marks a transformative leap, not only for our institution but also for Saudi Arabia’s journey toward global leadership in specialised medicine, in line with Saudi Vision 2030, which places innovation at the core of its efforts to improve quality of life.’
He added: ‘This remarkable achievement would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our visionary leadership, who have prioritised the development of the healthcare sector, paving the way for a transformative leap in healthcare services, unlocking new possibilities to elevate the quality of life for patients both locally and globally.’
This breakthrough aligns with KFSHRC's ongoing commitment to medical innovation. The hospital leverages all available resources to improve treatment outcomes, patient experiences and operational efficiency.
As a leading training centre in robotic organ transplant surgeries, KFSHRC contributes to advancing the global understanding of minimally invasive organ transplants. By collaborating with medical institutions worldwide to train their medical teams, KFSHRC is paving the way for future advancements and better outcomes, further elevating global medical practices.
According to the 2024 Brand Finance rankings, KFSHRC has been ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 20th globally in the list of the world’s top 250 Academic Medical Centres for the second consecutive year. It is also recognised as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East.
Photo - Image courtesy of King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre
