Riyadh: In an unprecedented medical achievement, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSH) in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, has performed the world’s first series of single-port robotic liver resections in living donors, marking a major advance in organ transplantation.
According to a statement issued on Monday, April 6, the procedures were conducted through a single incision not exceeding 3.5 cm, replacing the multiple incisions required in conventional robotic surgery. The approach reduces surgical pain, shortens recovery time and maintains high safety standards.
The milestone is particularly significant for donor safety, as living donors are healthy individuals undergoing complex surgery for the benefit of recipients. KFSH said six donor procedures were completed with minimal blood loss, no complications and low pain levels, with patients discharged within two to three days.
Benefits for donors and paediatric recipients
The technique is also expected to improve outcomes for paediatric liver transplant recipients. In such cases, surgeons typically use the left lateral segment of the liver, which accounts for around 20 percent of total liver volume, making it well suited for single-port access while minimising the surgical burden on donors.
Prof Dieter Broering, Executive Director of the Organ Transplant Center of Excellence at KFSH, said the achievement reflects a structured expansion of robotic liver surgery built on extensive experience.
He noted that the hospital has performed more than 1,600 robotic living donor liver resections — the highest volume globally — supported by a progressive model integrating training, simulation and phased clinical implementation.
Global standing and recognition
The development reinforces KFSH’s position as a global leader in robotic surgery and organ transplantation, advancing care models that balance innovation with patient and donor safety. The initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Health Sector Transformation Programme and its vision to deliver world-class specialised care.
KFSH ranks first in the Middle East and North Africa and 12th globally among the world’s top 250 Academic Medical Centers in 2026. It has also been recognised as the most valuable healthcare brand in Saudi Arabia and the region by Brand Finance 2025.
Additionally, the hospital is listed by Newsweek among the World’s Best Hospitals 2026, World’s Best Smart Hospitals 2026 and World’s Best Specialised Hospitals 2026.
