King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH) in Jeddah has successfully performed a robotic-assisted Soave pull-through procedure on a two-year-old child weighing around 10 kilograms who was diagnosed with Hirschsprung’s disease, a rare congenital condition that disrupts normal bowel function and can lead to severe constipation and intestinal blockage. The procedure involves removing the section of the colon that lacks nerve cells and reconnecting the healthy part to restore normal function.
Performing this type of surgery in children is particularly challenging due to the narrow pelvic space and the close proximity of critical nerves, muscles, and blood vessels involved in bowel function. This demands a high level of surgical accuracy to protect surrounding tissues and ensure stable, long-term outcomes.
The Soave technique is a widely used surgical approach that treats the condition by removing the section of the colon that lacks nerve cells and reconnecting the healthy portion, restoring normal bowel function. In this case, the use of robotic surgery enabled greater precision and enhanced visualization, allowing the procedure to be carried out more effectively.
This achievement reflects KFSH’s ongoing commitment to adopting advanced medical technologies and applying them in the treatment of complex cases, further strengthening the quality of specialized care and patient outcomes.
King Faisal Specialist Hospital has been ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa and 12th globally among the world’s top 250 Academic Medical Centers for 2026 and recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East according to Brand Finance 2025. It has also been listed by Newsweek among the World’s Best Hospitals 2025, the World’s Best Smart Hospitals 2026, and the World’s Best Specialized Hospitals 2026.