World cardiac surgery is entering a new phase: fully robot-assisted heart transplants without opening the chest are starting to become reality. This approach makes it possible to perform operations with minimal trauma, shortening recovery and reducing the risk of complications.
The first operation of this type in history was carried out in Saudi Arabia in September 2024. A patient received a heart transplant with the help of a surgical robot through a minimally invasive access without opening the chest. The second similar procedure was performed in the United States in March 2025. The patient was discharged after only a month with no complications.
Both operations point to the emergence of a new technological platform in cardiac surgery. For now, these procedures are still isolated and available only in leading clinics with highly trained teams. But the fact that they were successfully performed suggests that the world is moving toward an era of robot-assisted transplantation, where precision, safety, and minimal intervention become the standard.
