Saudi Arabia Achieves World’s First Fully Robotic Heart Transplant

Saudi Arabia has made history by successfully performing the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant. The groundbreaking procedure was carried out at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) on a 16-year-old patient suffering from end-stage heart failure.

The surgery, which took two-and-a-half hours, was led by Dr. Feras Khaliel, head of Cardiac Surgery and director of the Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery Program at KFSHRC. Months of preparation and virtual rehearsals—where the medical team performed the procedure virtually seven times—helped ensure the success of the operation.

Using robotic technology allowed the team to avoid traditional open-heart surgery methods, resulting in reduced pain, quicker recovery, and fewer risks of complications for the patient. The robotic heart transplant marks a transformative leap in medical innovation, cementing Saudi Arabia’s role as a leader in healthcare advancement.

KFSHRC CEO Dr. Majid Al-Fayyad credited this success to the Saudi government’s commitment to healthcare, aligned with Vision 2030, which prioritizes innovation to enhance the quality of life both locally and globally.