KFSHRC Performs the World’s First Fully Robotic Heart Transplant

A Pioneering Achievement Strengthening the Kingdom’s Leadership in Medicine

Riyadh

In a globally groundbreaking achievement, 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. This pioneering achievement, overcoming the significant medical challenges associated with such procedures, reinforces Saudi Arabia’s leadership in healthcare and highlights KFSHRC’s ability to innovate medical practices that enhance treatment outcomes and patient experiences.

The procedure took two and a half hours. It was performed by an exceptional medical 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, following weeks of meticulous preparation. The process began with detailed theoretical planning to ensure precision and minimize 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 practiced the procedure virtually seven consecutive times over three days before performing it on the patient.

After receiving approval from the hospital’s medical committee and the patient’s family, Dr. Feras Khaliel assembled a medical team prioritizing harmony and coordination among its members. Before the surgery, the team leader provided a thorough briefing on the operation plan, clearly defining each member’s role to ensure the patient’s safety and the procedure’s success.

This achievement marks a significant shift in heart transplant surgery. It moves away from traditional chest-opening procedures that require long recovery periods, often weeks or months, and limits the patient’s ability to perform basic daily activities. Robotic technology allows for minimally invasive surgery, reducing pain, shortening recovery time, and minimizing the risk of complications, significantly improving patients’ quality of life and accelerating their recovery.

H.E. 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 emphasized that “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 specialized medicine, in line with Saudi Vision 2030, which places innovation at the core of its efforts to improve quality of life’’.

H.E. added,” This remarkable achievement would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our visionary leadership, who have prioritized 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. The hospital strives to be the top choice for specialized healthcare, extending its services to a broader range of patients. As a leading training center 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 and achieve better outcomes, further elevating global medical practices.

It is noteworthy that 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 Centers for the second consecutive year and has been recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East, according to the 2024 Brand Finance rankings. Additionally, in the same year, Newsweek magazine ranked it among the world’s best 250 hospitals.