DR. KENNETH Liao can be seen using the surgical robot, the same device he used to perform the first successful, fully robotic heart transplants on an adult patient in the United States.
Photo courtesy of Baylor College of Medicine
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In a groundbreaking achievement for American medicine, surgeons at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston have successfully carried out what is believed to be the first fully robotic heart transplant in the United States.
Led by Dr. Kenneth Liao, a pioneer in robotic cardiothoracic procedures, the surgical team completed the transplant using a robotic-assisted approach that avoided opening the chest or cutting through the breastbone, a significant departure from traditional heart transplantation methods. Instead, surgeons made a series of precise, small incisions and accessed the preperitoneal space to remove the patient’s failing heart and implant the donor organ.
The innovative procedure marks a milestone for heart transplant surgery.
“Opening the chest and spreading the breastbone can affect wound healing, delay rehabilitation, and prolong recovery, especially for patients on immunosuppressants,” Dr. Liao explained in a statement released by the Baylor College of Medicine. “With the robotic approach, we preserve the integrity of the chest wall, which reduces the risk of infection and supports faster respiratory recovery, mobility, and overall healing.”
Dr. Liao holds dual roles as professor and chief of cardiothoracic transplantation and circulatory support at Baylor College of Medicine, as well as chief of cardiothoracic transplantation at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center. He emphasized that beyond minimizing physical trauma, the robotic technique also reduces blood loss and the need for transfusions—lowering the chance of immune complications like antibody development against the new heart.
The patient, a 45-year-old man diagnosed with advanced heart failure, had been hospitalized since November 2024. Dependent on multiple mechanical support devices to keep his heart functioning, he became a candidate for the robotic transplant after exhaustive evaluation. The surgery took place in March 2025. The patient recovered without complications and was discharged a month later, becoming a living testament to the promise of this minimally invasive method.
Source: Barnes, T. (2025, June). Robotic heart transplant surgery performed at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center. Baylor College of Medicine.
