King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) has successfully performed a robotic-assisted splenectomy and cholecystectomy for a 10-year-old girl with sickle cell disease who was suffering from severe enlargement of the spleen. The advanced procedure reduced surgical trauma while maintaining the highest standards of safety and precision.
This is the first procedure of its kind in the Western Region for treating such cases. Given the complexity, the team opted for robotic surgery, which provides 3D visualization and highly precise control, making it possible to complete the operation in a single session through small incisions. The four-arm robotic system offered finer handling of blood vessels and delicate tissues, helping reduce blood loss, improve surgical safety, and support a faster recovery.
In many similar cases, conventional treatment relies on open surgery or standard laparoscopy, and the spleen and gallbladder may be removed in two separate stages depending on the patient’s condition. That can mean larger incisions, greater blood loss, longer hospital stays, slower recovery, and higher risk, particularly for children with sickle cell disease. The robotic approach provided a more precise option that made it possible to combine both procedures in a single intervention.
The successful outcome was supported by close coordination among multidisciplinary teams, including pediatric surgeons, anesthesiologists, hematologists, and nursing staff, with careful monitoring before and after the operation.
This procedure is part of KFSHRC’s ongoing use of robotic surgery to manage complex cases. Over time, that work has built highly specialized clinical expertise that can be shared with other centers, further strengthening KFSHRC’s position as a reference hub for advanced surgery through knowledge exchange and the continuous improvement of clinical practice with leading institutions across the region and worldwide.
KFSHRC ranks first in the Middle East and Africa and fifteenth globally among the world’s top 250 academic medical centers for 2025. It also holds the highest valued healthcare brand in Saudi Arabia and the region, according to Brand Finance 2024, and is listed by Newsweek among the World’s Best Hospitals 2025, the World’s Best Smart Hospitals 2026, and the World’s Best Specialized Hospitals 2026.
