Surgery 2.0: Why surgeons are turning to robotics to transform patient outcomes

As fully robotic surgeries push the boundaries of medical innovation, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh has performed the world’s first robotic-assisted implantation of an artificial heart pump, setting a new benchmark for what is possible in specialized organ care.

A man in his mid-thirties lay in KFSHRC, hospitalized for four months with advanced heart failure. His condition had deteriorated to the point where his heart could no longer pump blood effectively, placing immense strain on his kidneys and lungs. A traditional open-heart procedure carried significant dangers, with the risk of prolonged surgery pushing his body past its limits. But there was another option.

In a watershed moment for medicine, he became the recipient of the world’s first robotic-assisted artificial heart pump implantation—the HeartMate 3—performed by renowned Saudi cardiac surgeon Dr. Feras Khaliel. Shortly afterward, the patient was on the road to recovery, one step closer to returning home to his family.

Such a story would have been unimaginable just a decade ago. However, thanks to the groundbreaking work of specialist teams at KFSHRC, robotic-assisted surgery is enabling once-high-risk procedures to be carried out with greater safety and success. Now, as the hospital expands its robotics program to other vital organs, it is gaining recognition as one of the world’s premier specialized medical institutions, not only in Saudi Arabia but also globally.

The first robotic-assisted surgery was performed in 1985, and since then, technology has continued to evolve, enabling increasingly intricate procedures. Research from consulting firm Oliver Wyman indicates that the use of robotic-assisted surgeries is growing at a rate of approximately 11% per year.

At its core, robotic-assisted surgery is profoundly human in its goal: to improve patients’ lives with safer, more precise interventions.

KFSHRC lives by this mantra, working every day to be a place where bold thinking, advanced technology, and safety converge to change lives. In the case of the HeartMate 3, this means utilizing new small-incision and 3D imaging techniques, with surgeons employing micro-moving robotic arms that enable unprecedented surgical accuracy.

For the man who endured 120 days in a hospital bed, this fine-tuning has been life-changing. The minimally invasive approach significantly decreased blood loss. It sped up recovery, demonstrating that robotics can effectively address critical organ failure without placing undue strain on the rest of the body—a seismic shift in the field.

Traditional cardiac and organ transplant surgeries are often long, arduous affairs that can limit surgeon availability and lead to prolonged hospital stays. With HeartMate 3—and similar robotic-assisted procedures—KFSHRC is saving time in the operating room, increasing the number of lives its surgeons can transform.

Compared to traditional surgery, robotic heart transplants cut recovery times almost in half for patients; for instance, robotic valve replacement takes only 6.8 days when compared to traditional valve surgery, which typically takes 10.4 days. Cost savings are also a major benefit of robotic procedures, where the average saving is $17,000 in robotic coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) compared with traditional sternotomy methods.

This has had two significant effects:

First, KFSHRC has successfully scaled up the procedure to help even more patients. In 2019, the hospital’s first year of its robotic heart surgery program, it performed over 100 surgeries.

Second, this success has enabled the hospital to focus on other vital organs, including at KFSHRC in Jeddah, where experts performed the first robotic liver transplantation in the western region of Saudi Arabia.

Not only is KFSHRC the most progressive healthcare provider in Saudi Arabia, but it has also been ranked 15th globally among the world’s top 250 academic medical centers (AMCs) for 2025. Now, as word spreads that it has achieved a 98% survival rate in 400 robotic cardiac surgeries, KFSHRC’s standing as a premier institution for specialized care continues to rise.

The hospital’s broader ecosystem plays a vital role in this success. Surgeons, engineers, researchers, nurses, and support staff all contribute to a culture that embraces continuous improvement. This multidisciplinary approach accelerates the adoption of new techniques, ensuring that medical breakthroughs transition seamlessly from research labs to operating rooms.

This is a significant reason why patients from diverse backgrounds—from high-net-worth individuals and VIPs to international medical tourists and residents—are choosing KFSHRC. Its track record, combined with a dedication to cutting-edge medicine and personalized care, makes it a go-to destination for the most complex procedures.

For those who have witnessed firsthand the transformational power of a robotic transplant, it’s clear that the future of healthcare is already here. But when all is said and done, the most profound impact of such innovation isn’t found in the machinery—it’s in the lives saved and the families reunited.

Find more about how KFSHRC is raising the bar for specialized care here.