By Milcah Tanimu
Doctors at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, have successfully performed the world’s first *robotic heart transplant*, marking a groundbreaking moment in medical history. The procedure was carried out on a 16-year-old patient suffering from end-stage heart failure, lasting nearly two and a half hours.
The patient specifically requested that his chest not be opened, leading cardiac specialists to opt for the robotic approach. The team rehearsed the complex procedure nearly seven times over three days before the actual surgery to ensure precision and minimize risks.
This revolutionary surgery could pave the way for heart transplant operations to move away from traditional open-chest methods, which often require long recovery periods.
The Executive Director of KFSHRC’s Organ Transplant Centre, Dr. Dieter Broering, highlighted that the hospital has spent the last 40 years positioning Saudi Arabia as a global leader in organ transplantation.
This successful *robotic heart transplant* has been hailed as a significant advancement in the field, potentially shortening recovery times and reducing the physical trauma associated with conventional heart transplants.
