Surgeons complete first fully robotic heart transplant in US history
A team of surgeons with Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston has made history, performing what is believed to be the first fully robotic heart transplant in the United States.
The procedure occurred in March 2025. Kenneth K. Liao, MD, PhD, chief of cardiothoracic transplantation and circulatory support at Baylor College of Medicine and chief of cardiothoracic transplantation and mechanical circulatory support at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, and colleagues completed the transplant using an advanced Da Vinci surgical system.
The patient’s chest did not need to be opened all for the procedure—everything was done through small incisions.
“Opening the chest and spreading the breastbone can affect wound healing and delay rehabilitation and prolong the patient's recovery, especially in heart transplant patients who take immunosuppressants,” Liao explained in a statement. “With the robotic approach, we preserve the integrity of the chest wall, which reduces the risk of infection and helps with early mobility, respiratory function and overall recovery.”
The patient in question was a 45-year-old male who had been hospitalized with advanced heart failure for four months. He was discharged after being observed in the hospital for a month. There have been no complications.
“This transplant shows what is possible when innovation and surgical experience come together to improve patient care,” Liao said. “Our goal is to offer patients the safest, most effective and least invasive procedures, and robotic technology allows us to do that in extraordinary ways.”
“This pinnacle in heart transplantation brings great pride to our hospital and adds to its legacy of medical achievements and caring for the most complex health conditions that only advanced healthcare systems can treat successfully,” added Bradley T. Lembcke, MD, the president of Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center.
Back in September 2024, a heart team at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, completed the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant on a 16-year-old patient with end-stage heart failure.
Michael has more than 19 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.