World’s First Robotic Liver Transplant Performed in Saudi Arabia

The world’s first robotic liver transplant was successfully performed at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSH&RC) in Saudi Arabia.

The procedure was carried out on a 66-year-old man suffering from non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Robotic technology was used for both the donor and patient surgeries, offering “precision and minimal invasiveness.”

Typically, this surgery has a high risk of infection or complication because  the operation requires major incisions. Using a robot to perform the task allows for greater accuracy and a reduced chance of the patient needing follow-up surgery.

While some medical centers offer the procedure using a hybrid of robotic and human surgeons, KFSH&RC said it is the only center to have performed the operation using solely robotic surgery.

According to the center, the approach enables smaller incisions, reduced recovery times, and “significantly lower rates of complications,” including infections and surgical issues.

"The successful implementation of fully robotic liver transplants marks a pivotal moment in the history of organ transplantation and firmly positions KFSH&RC as a world-leading center in this field,” said Dr. Dieter Broering, executive director of the Organ Transplant Center of Excellence at KFSH&RC.

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Following the success of this surgery, KFSH&RC is now recognized as a designated Training Center for robotic transplant surgery.