In an unprecedented medical achievement, Rela Hospital in Chennai, India – a partner of SK Med Globe – successfully performed the world’s first fully robotic liver transplant on a five-year-old child, making him the youngest patient ever to undergo this complex type of surgery.
The child was suffering from a Urea Cycle Defect, a rare genetic disorder that prevents the liver from properly processing proteins, leading to a buildup of toxic ammonia in the blood, which can cause severe brain damage.
After the child’s mother donated a portion of her liver, the entire procedure was carried out using robotic surgical techniques, both for extracting the liver portion from the donor and transplanting it into the child. The surgery delivered remarkable results—the child recovered quickly and was discharged after only seven days, compared to the usual 14 to 21 days with traditional methods. His mother was discharged after five days.
Professor Mohamed Rela, head of Rela Hospital, stated tha
t this surgery marks “a milestone in the history of surgery” due to its extreme complexity, especially as it was performed using microscopic techniques on a small child’s body, which significantly increases the difficulty of maneuvering robotic instruments without damaging surrounding tissues.
He added that the operation followed the Auxiliary Liver Transplant method, one of the most technically complex forms of liver transplantation. The use of robotic surgery also helped reduce pain and scarring, thereby improving the child’s long-term psychological and social well-being.
At SK Med Globe, we are proud of our partnership with this world-class medical center and of our ability to provide such advanced treatment options for patients seeking the highest standards of medical care in India.
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