Saudi Arabia’s King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre Performs The World’s First Fully Robotic Heart Transplant

Saudi Arabia’s King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) has made history by successfully performing the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant. Led by Dr. Feras Khaliel, Head of Cardiac Surgery and Director of the Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery Program at KFSHRC, the procedure, which took two-and-a-half hours, was carried out on a 16-year-old patient suffering from end-stage heart failure in September last year. 

A statement from KFSHRC noted that it marked a significant shift in heart transplant surgery by moving away from traditional chest-opening procedures that require long recovery periods, often lasting weeks or months, which also limit the patient’s ability to perform basic daily activities. In contrast, the use of robotic technology allows for minimally invasive surgery that reduces pain as well as recovery time, while also minimizing the risk of complications. 

Saudi Arabia Crown Prince and Prime Minister HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud felicitated the KFSHRC medical team that achieved this breakthrough at a meeting in his office in December. During the reception, which also had Mazen Alromaih (Chairman of the Board of Directors of KFSHRC), HE Dr. Majid Al Fayyad (CEO of KFSHRC) and Dr. Bjorn Zoëga (Deputy CEO of KFSHRC) in attendance, the Crown Prince noted how the Saudi medical team’s achievement was a pivotal moment for healthcare, not just in the Kingdom, but around the world as well. 

In a statement, Al Fayyad 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 specialized medicine, in line with Saudi Vision 2030, which places innovation at the core of its efforts to improve quality of life. 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.’’