In a historic achievement, the Organ Transplant Centre of Excellence (OTCoE) team at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSH&RC) has successfully performed the world's first fully robotic liver transplant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a move that solidifies KFSH&RC's position as a global leader in minimally invasive transplant surgery.
The recipient is a 66-year-old Saudi male who was discharged on September 6, following his procedure. The patient suffered from non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis (NASH) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
KFSH&RC employed state-of-the-art robotic technology to conduct both donor and recipient surgeries with precision and minimal invasiveness, eliminating the need for a hybrid approach, which combines traditional laparoscopy with robotic instrumentation. While other centres offer minimally invasive liver transplants using hybrid techniques, KFSH&RC is the only centre to offer a fully robotic liver transplant surgery.
The approach adopted by the OTCoE means smaller incisions, reduced recovery times, and significantly lower rates of complications, including infections and surgical issues.
OTCoE Executive Director Dr. Dieter Broering said: "With this remarkable feat, we at KFSH&RC reaffirm our commitment to pushing the boundaries of medical innovation and enhancing the quality of healthcare services offered to patients worldwide. 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 centre in this field."
Traditional liver transplantation, while life-saving, often involves major incisions and carries a high risk of complications. Such surgeries can result in complications in up to 50% of cases and require extensive incisions, leading to prolonged hospital stays and greater patient discomfort.
KFSH&RC is now recognized as a designated training centre for robotic transplant surgery. The institution collaborates with other medical institutions, fostering knowledge exchange and advancing the global understanding of minimally invasive transplant procedures.
KFSH&RC was recently ranked 20th in the most reputable academic medical centres list for 2023, and the first in the Middle East and Africa, according to the Global Top 250 Hospitals Report for 2023 issued by Brand Finance.
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