King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Saudi Arabia has successfully performed the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant on a 16-year-old patient with end-stage heart failure.
The two-and-a-half-hour procedure was led by Dr. Feras Khaliel, Head of Cardiac Surgery and director of the Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery Program at KFSHRC. Following weeks of preparation to ensure precision and minimize risks, the Riyadh team developed a surgical approach to access the heart and complete the transplant without opening the patient’s chest. They practised the procedure virtually seven times over three days before performing it on the patient.
Dr. Majid Al Fayyad, CEO of KFSHRC, hailed the robotic heart transplant as a transformative leap in Saudi Arabia’s journey toward global leadership in specialized medicine, aligning with the goals of Vision 2030.
Saudi hospital performs fully robotic heart transplant in world first
By Matthew Brady
Matt is an award-winning storyteller, writer, and communicator currently based in Riyadh. A native Englishman, his career has led him to diverse locations including China, Hong Kong, Iraq, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. In addition to founding HealthTechAsia, Matt is a co-founder of the non-profit Pul Alliance for Digital Health and Equity. In a former life, he oversaw editorial coverage for Arab Health, Asia Health, Africa Health, and other key events. In 2021, he won a Medical Travel Media Award, organised by Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council, and a Guardian Student Media Award in 2000.