Rajavithi Hospital completes first robot-assisted heart surgeries

Rajavithi Hospital has successfully performed the first two robot-assisted heart surgeries within Thailand’s Public Health Ministry system, in a milestone that officials say will help raise the country’s treatment standards and expand access to advanced specialist care.

Dr Nutthapong Wongwiwat, director-general of the Department of Medical Services, said the department is pushing ahead with robot-assisted cardiac and thoracic surgery under its policy of promoting high-value medical services as a new economic engine.

The goal, he said, is to improve treatment precision, reduce complications and strengthen Thailand’s position as a medical hub by broadening access to highly specialised care.

He said the successful use of robotic technology in two cardiac surgery cases marked the first such achievement for the Public Health Ministry. Both operations were completed successfully, with patients recovering quickly, experiencing only small wounds and no complications.

He described the achievement as another important step in raising the standard of Rajavithi Hospital to an international level, while also giving patients more treatment options. The department now plans to expand access to the service further in the next phase.

Dr Wittawat Pibul, head of cardiac and thoracic surgery at Rajavithi Hospital, said the heart operations built on the hospital’s earlier success with robot-assisted lung surgery between 2023 and 2025, during which more than 60 procedures were carried out safely. He said that experience had given the hospital strong readiness in terms of personnel, care systems and practical expertise in robotic thoracic surgery.

For the cardiac procedures, Rajavithi Hospital also received support from Assistant Professor Cheng-Hon Yap, a cardiac surgeon from University Hospital Geelong in Victoria, Australia. He joined the programme as an adviser, bringing expertise in minimally invasive cardiac surgery as well as robotic thoracic and heart surgery.

Hospital officials said the achievement was not only about introducing a new technology, but also about laying the foundation for a national centre of excellence in robotic heart surgery. The longer-term aim is to widen access to modern treatment while also creating a learning centre for future medical personnel, particularly for regional hospitals that are developing robotic surgery capabilities and may no longer need to rely solely on overseas training.

Dr Wiput Kojaranjit and Dr Kasisak Luangpathomaram, both cardiac and thoracic surgeons at Rajavithi Hospital, said the two patients included one with a congenital atrial septal defect and another with severe mitral valve stenosis. The patients were discharged within two days and four days respectively, and both procedures went smoothly without complications after extensive preparation and team training in the robotic surgery system.

They said robotic technology plays an increasingly important role in modern surgery because it helps reduce tissue trauma and supports faster recovery. It allows surgeons to perform procedures through very small incisions with high precision, reducing blood loss and helping patients return more quickly to normal life compared with conventional surgery.

The hospital said the success reflected close collaboration across the surgical team, including surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, operating theatre staff and other multidisciplinary personnel, all of whom worked together to care for patients throughout every stage of treatment.

With many heart patients still waiting for surgery, Rajavithi Hospital said it intends to expand the use of robotic surgery so that it becomes another option patients can consider when seeking treatment.