King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh has successfully performed the world’s first robotic-assisted implantation of an artificial heart pump (HeartMate 3) developed by Abbott, a groundbreaking procedure that marks a significant advancement in medical technology and patient care.
The surgery was performed on a 35-year-old man who had been hospitalised for 120 days due to advanced heart failure, which had also led to kidney and lung function deterioration.
The procedure was led by Dr Feras Khaliel, head of cardiac surgery and director of the hospital’s Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery Programme. The patient spent only four days in the intensive care unit, a stark contrast to the 26-day average for similar procedures performed with traditional surgical methods. Recovery time is also expected to be significantly reduced, with discharge anticipated within 10 days instead of the usual 63 days required for conventional interventions.
This success builds on KFSHRC’s legacy of global achievements, including the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant and robotic liver transplantation.
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 recognised as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East, according to the 2024 Brand Finance rankings.
