Saudi Hospital succeeds in performing the World’s first complete robotic heart transplant

King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC) has achieved a world-first medical feat by successfully performing the first complete robotic heart transplant on a 16-year-old suffering from stage four heart failure. Overcoming numerous medical challenges and complexities associated with this type of surgery, this historical precedent solidifies Saudi Arabia's position as a global leader in healthcare. It highlights KFSHRC’s ability to innovate medical practices that enhance patient outcomes and experience.

The two-and-a-half-hour surgery, led by renowned Saudi cardiac surgeon Dr. Feras Khaliel, was preceded by weeks of meticulous planning. To ensure the efficacy of the innovative surgical approach, which involved accessing and replacing the heart without making an incision in the chest, a virtual simulation of the procedure was conducted seven times over three days.

Before the surgery, Dr. Khaliel assembled a specialized medical team and emphasized the importance of teamwork and coordination. Each team member was provided with a detailed explanation of the procedure, ensuring the patient's safety and the operation's success.

This groundbreaking achievement represents a significant shift in heart transplant surgery. From traditional open-chest procedures that require lengthy recovery periods, minimally invasive robotic techniques are used. This results in reduced pain, shorter recovery times, and fewer complications, significantly improving patients' quality of life and faster recovery.

This accomplishment aligns with KFSHRC's ongoing commitment to medical innovation and the utilization of all available resources to enhance patient outcomes, experience, and operational efficiency. As a specialized training center for robotic organ transplant surgery, the hospital actively contributes to the global advancement of minimally invasive transplant procedures by collaborating with medical institutions worldwide to train medical professionals.

KFSHRC has been ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa and 20th globally for two consecutive years among the top 250 academic healthcare institutions worldwide. Moreover, Brand Finance recognized it as the highest-valued healthcare brand in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East in 2024. Newsweek listed it among the top 250 hospitals in the world.