(Web Desk) - The world’s first fully robotic heart transplant has been successfully completed in Saudi Arabia’s King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC). The groundbreaking transplant procedure was performed on a 16-year-old patient suffering from end-stage heart failure taking two-and-a-half-hour time. The medical team, led by Dr. Feras Khaliel, head of Cardiac Surgery and director of the Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery Program at KFSHRC, conducted the surgery after weeks of intense preparation. The process required detailed planning and rigorous preparation to reduce risks and ensure precision.
It is worth noting that the team practiced the operation virtually seven times over three days before performing the real-life surgery. This technique significantly improves patient’s quality of life by reducing pain, shortening recovery time and minimising the risk of complications.
The use of robotic technology avoids the traditional method of opening the patient’s chest allowing for a minimally invasive approach. KFSHRC CEO Dr. Majid Al-Fayyad hailed the surgery as a transformative leap in heart transplant surgery, first pioneered in the 1960s. Dr. Al-Fayyad also credited the Saudi leadership’s commitment to healthcare development, which paved the way for this remarkable achievement.
He emphasised that the success aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which prioritises innovation in healthcare to enhance the quality of life both locally and globally.