Saudi hospital achieves breakthrough in single-port robotic liver resection

Saudi Arabia's King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSH) has performed a series of single-port robotic liver resections from living donors, marking a milestone in organ transplantation, according to an article published Monday on the hospital's website, reported Xinhua.

The surgery was done using a single-port robotic system through a tiny 3.5 cm incision, instead of multiple cuts used in traditional robotic surgery. This approach reduces pain, speeds up recovery, and keeps safety high, the KFSH said.

The achievement is significant for donor safety. Procedures performed on six donors resulted in reduced blood loss without complications, with low pain levels and discharge within two to three days.

The technique is also used in pediatric liver transplants, where the left lateral segment -- about 20 percent of the total liver -- is removed. Single-port access reduces the surgical burden on young donors while maintaining safety.

The KFSH has performed more than 1,600 robotic living donor liver resections, supported by a model that includes training, simulation, and phased clinical implementation, the statement said.