World-first robotic liver transplant breakthrough

The world’s first fully robotic liver transplant – a procedure that enables quicker recovery times and lower infection rates – has taken place.

The milestone, involving a 66-year-old Saudi male with non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), represents further progress in the advancement of minimally invasive transplant surgery.

Traditional liver transplantation, while life-saving, often involves major incisions and carries a high risk of complications.

These surgeries can result in complications in up to 50 per cent of cases and require extensive incisions, leading to prolonged hospital stays and increased patient discomfort

King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSH&RC) has employed robotics to conduct both donor and recipient surgeries for the first time.

The approach provides patients with smaller incisions, reduced recovery times, and significantly lower rates of complications, including infections and surgical issues.

Dr. Dieter Broering (pictured), of the Organ Transplant Center of Excellence at KFSH&RC, said the operation was a “pivotal moment in the history of organ transplantation”.