Robot-Assisted Breast Reconstruction Performed in Riyadh

Security Forces Hospital in Riyadh has performed Saudi Arabia’s first robot-assisted breast reconstruction on a 43-year-old woman who had previously undergone a nipple- and skin-sparing mastectomy following a breast cancer diagnosis.

The procedure, carried out under the Ministry of Interior’s Medical Services, used robotic technology to harvest skin and fatty tissue from the abdominal area before transferring it to the chest using microsurgical techniques.

Breast reconstruction using this type of tissue transfer is traditionally performed through open surgery. According to the Ministry of Interior’s Medical Services, the robotic approach allowed the team to work through much smaller incisions while preserving more of the abdominal wall.

The ministry said this can reduce the risk of complications associated with conventional surgery, particularly hernias and abdominal bulging, while improving surgical precision. The operation required specialised planning and coordination across a multidisciplinary medical team.

The ministry added that breast reconstruction can support quality of life and psychological wellbeing following mastectomy, and said the procedure forms part of wider efforts to introduce advanced surgical technologies across specialised healthcare services.