KFSH tackles 7 different heart problems in a single robotic surgery

Surgeons at King Faisal Specialist Hospital (KFSH) in Saudi Arabia have pulled off something no medical team has done before. They fixed seven different heart problems in a single robotic surgery on a woman in her seventies.

The patient had multiple heart defects, some present since birth and others developed over time. Instead of putting her through several separate operations, the surgical team tackled everything at once using robot-assisted techniques.

The approach worked. The patient recovered quickly and went home eight days later with full heart function restored.

How did it work?

Traditional heart surgery requires cracking open the chest. This robotic approach uses tiny incisions instead. Surgeons control robotic arms from a console, getting a magnified 3D view of the heart.

The team performed six different procedures through these small openings. They replaced the mitral valve, repaired the tricuspid valve, treated irregular heartbeat with a Maze procedure, closed off part of the left atrium, fixed a hole between heart chambers, and reconstructed blood vessel anatomy.

The robot's precision allowed surgeons to work in tight spaces inside the heart. Multiple complex repairs happened simultaneously through limited access points. This reduced bleeding and surgical trauma compared to open-heart surgery.

Why does it matter?

This surgery combined two types of heart repair that doctors usually handle separately. Fixing birth defects requires different expertise than treating age-related heart disease. Doing both at once demands specialized knowledge and careful coordination.

For patients like this seventy-year-old woman, it means avoiding multiple high-risk operations. Each surgery carries complications. Recovery time adds up. The psychological toll grows with each procedure.

The single-surgery approach reduces all these risks. Patients spend less time in hospital. They face lower infection rates and faster healing. The precise robotic control makes complex repairs safer than traditional methods.

The context

King Faisal Specialist Hospital has built a reputation for pushing surgical boundaries. This case adds to their track record of complex cardiac procedures using advanced technology.

The hospital ranks first in the Middle East and North Africa for academic medical centers. Global rankings place it 12th worldwide among the top 250 institutions. Brand Finance named it the most valuable healthcare brand in the region for 2025.

Newsweek has recognized the hospital across multiple categories. It appears on their lists for World's Best Hospitals 2025, World's Best Smart Hospitals 2026, and World's Best Specialized Hospitals 2026. These accolades reflect the institution's focus on combining clinical excellence with technological innovation.