KFSHRC Achieves Milestone with First Robotic-Assisted BiVAD Surgery

On July 17, 2025, the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, successfully performed the world's first implantation of a biventricular assist device (BiVAD) utilizing robotic technology, a groundbreaking advancement in cardiac surgery. This minimally invasive procedure offers a life-saving option for patients with advanced heart failure who are ineligible for traditional heart transplants or open-heart surgeries. The operation was carried out by a skilled team led by Professor Feras Khaliel, a renowned cardiac surgeon at KFSHRC.

The patient, a 61-year-old male with multiple chronic conditions including diabetes, stroke, and renal impairment, had been bedridden for over two months due to end-stage heart failure. After a thorough clinical evaluation, the surgical team determined that the patient was not a suitable candidate for a heart transplant. Consequently, the robotic implantation of the BiVAD was deemed the only viable solution to address his critical health status.

Traditionally, BiVAD implantation requires a full sternotomy, a procedure associated with significant surgical risks and prolonged recovery times. However, the innovative approach employed by KFSHRC involved using remotely controlled robotic arms to perform the surgery through small incisions. This technique resulted in decreased blood loss, minimized risk of infection, and accelerated recovery for the patient. Following the surgery, the patient showed remarkable improvement, leading to a swift recovery that underscored the effectiveness of this pioneering method.

The integration of expertise from various departments at KFSHRC, including cardiac surgery, cardiology, anesthesia, critical care, biomedical engineering, and advanced life support, played a crucial role in the success of this procedure. Advanced technologies such as 3D imaging and real-time surgical navigation were utilized to enhance precision and safety during the operation.

KFSHRC plans to disseminate the findings related to this groundbreaking procedure through peer-reviewed medical journals and international cardiology conferences, aiming to foster knowledge exchange and establish partnerships with leading global centers in robotic cardiac care and advanced heart failure management. This milestone adds to KFSHRC’s impressive portfolio of achievements in robotic surgery, including being the first to perform a fully robotic heart transplant and the first robotic-assisted artificial heart pump implantation.

The hospital's commitment to innovation and excellence is reflected in its recent accolades, having been ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 20th globally among the top 250 Academic Medical Centers for the second consecutive year. Furthermore, KFSHRC was recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East in the 2024 Brand Finance rankings, and included in the World's Best Smart Hospitals list for 2025 by Newsweek magazine.

As KFSHRC continues to lead in the adoption of cutting-edge cardiac technologies, this revolutionary robotic-assisted BiVAD implantation represents a significant advance in the management of complex cardiac conditions and sets a new benchmark for surgical practices worldwide.