KFSH uses digital twins to rehearse patient-specific surgery before operations

King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre is using digital-twin technology in Riyadh to help surgeons rehearse complex, patient-specific procedures before entering the operating room. The hospital says the approach can reduce operating time, speed recovery and improve planning for its most demanding cases.

Why it matters: - Digital twins give surgical teams a virtual rehearsal space for complex operations on an individual patient’s anatomy. - Better preoperative planning can reduce uncertainty in the operating room, limit time under anesthesia and support faster recovery. - The approach is part of KFSH’s broader use of artificial intelligence and predictive tools across care delivery and operations.

What happened: - King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh is using digital-twin technology to let surgeons rehearse patient-specific procedures before surgery. - The hospital uses the virtual model to plan complex operations in detail before the patient reaches the operating table. - KFSH says the technology supports shorter operating times and faster recovery for patients.

The details: - Digital-twin planning helps teams decide in advance on the surgical approach, the sequence of steps and the instruments to use. - The hospital says that preparation is especially important when anatomy is unusual or when multiple procedures are combined in one operation. - KFSH’s use of AI and predictive tools extends beyond surgery to diagnosis, documentation and Emergency Department demand forecasting. - The hospital has used the technology in its most demanding cases, including a fully robotic heart transplant. - KFSH also performed seven cardiac interventions in a single fully robotic operation for a patient with both acquired and congenital heart disease. - In these cases, surgical planning can determine what is possible in the operating room.

Between the lines: - The digital twin is positioned as a decision-support tool, not a replacement for surgeons. - The surgical team sets the plan, then uses the model to test and refine it before the procedure begins. - The emphasis on complex robotic cases suggests the hospital is using digital planning where precision and sequencing matter most. - KFSH’s announcement also reinforces its push to present itself as a regional leader in advanced care and medical technology.

What’s next: - KFSH is likely to expand digital-twin use as part of its broader AI and predictive analytics strategy. - The hospital’s experience with complex robotic procedures suggests more patient-specific planning may be applied to future high-risk surgeries. - KFSH will continue to build on its reputation after being ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 12th globally among the world’s top 250 academic medical centers for 2026. - The hospital was also named the most valuable healthcare brand in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East for 2026 by Brand Finance and was listed by Newsweek among the World’s Best Hospitals, World’s Best Smart Hospitals and World’s Best Specialized Hospitals for 2026.