Saudi Arabia’s King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) has made history by successfully completing the first full robotic surgery for a heart transplant. This groundbreaking medical achievement marks a new era in minimally invasive surgery, showcasing Saudi Arabia’s advancements in healthcare technology.
The first full robotic surgery involved a 16-year-old patient suffering from end-stage heart failure. Led by Dr. Feras Khaliel, head of Cardiac Surgery and director of the Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery Program at KFSHRC, the medical team performed the two-and-a-half-hour procedure with robotic precision. This innovative technique allowed the surgeons to bypass traditional open-heart surgery, using robotic technology to make smaller incisions, resulting in less pain, faster recovery, and a lower risk of complications.
Before the historic first full robotic surgery, the medical team underwent intense preparation, including practicing the procedure virtually seven times over three days. This level of meticulous planning was crucial in ensuring the surgery’s success.
KFSHRC CEO, Dr. Majid Al-Fayyad, hailed the achievement as a “transformative leap” in heart transplant surgery, emphasizing that this success is in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to drive innovation in healthcare. He also credited the country’s leadership for their unwavering support of healthcare advancements, which have paved the way for such monumental achievements.
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KFSHRC continues to lead in medical innovation, training global teams to implement robotic organ transplant techniques and improve patient outcomes.
