PRNewswire
Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], October 30: KPJ Healthcare Berhad ("KPJ Healthcare" or "the Group") has set a Southeast Asian record in robotic-assisted minimally invasive cardiac surgery ("MICS"), with its specialist team at Damansara Specialist Hospital 2 ("DSH2") performing 35 procedures within 90 days. The achievement demonstrates the advanced cardiac care capabilities within KPJ Health System ("KPJHS"), Malaysia's first private academic health system.
The procedures were led by Professor Dr Shahrul Amry Hashim, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at DSH2, with support from a multidisciplinary team across surgery, anaesthesia, perfusion and postoperative care. DSH2 is also the first hospital in the Klang Valley, across both public and private healthcare sectors, to perform robotic-assisted MICS.
Unlike conventional open-heart surgery, which typically requires the breastbone to be divided, robotic-assisted MICS allows surgeons to perform selected cardiac procedures through small incisions between the ribs. The da Vinci Xi Robotic Surgical System provides magnified three-dimensional visualisation and enhanced instrument control, while the surgeon remains fully responsible for the operation.
For suitable patients, this approach may reduce surgical trauma and postoperative discomfort, with the potential for earlier mobilisation and a shorter hospital stay. However, the procedure is not suitable for every patient, and treatment decisions depend on individual clinical assessment.
Professor Dato' Dr Hanafiah Harunarashid, Officer-in-Charge of KPJ Healthcare Berhad said the regional record reflects the Group's progress in advanced specialist care.
"This is an important achievement for KPJ Healthcare and for the specialists at DSH2. Complex cardiac surgery demands considerable clinical expertise and the milestone demonstrates what our teams can achieve with the right experience, multidisciplinary support and advanced medical technology," he added.
Prof Hanafiah emphasised, "Our responsibility is to ensure that progress in specialist care is matched by strong clinical standards and sound medical judgement. As we develop these capabilities across KPJ Health System, our priority remains the quality of care patients receive. This is central to our Care for Life purpose."
Professor Dr Shahrul Amry Hashim, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at DSH2, said the choice of surgical approach depends on each patient's clinical condition.
"Not every patient who requires cardiac surgery is suitable for a robotic-assisted procedure. We assess each case carefully, taking into account the patient's condition and the complexity of the operation before deciding on the most appropriate approach. For our team, performing 35 procedures within 90 days is an important achievement. The measure of our work, however, remains the care we provide to each patient, from the initial assessment through surgery and recovery," he explained.
The milestone also supports KPJ Healthcare's wider strategy under KPJHS, which integrates Practice, Education, Research and Innovation. Robotic-assisted cardiac surgery is one area where the Group's investment in specialist expertise and advanced medical technology has enabled more complex procedures to be performed through a minimally invasive approach.
DSH2 received the Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery of the Year – Asia Pacific 2025 award at the GlobalHealth Asia-Pacific Awards 2025, in recognition of its expertise in this field. The hospital is also a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network ("MCCN"), which provides its physicians with access to specialist consultations and clinical resources from Mayo Clinic.
For more information on DSH2, visit https://kpjhealth.com.my/damansara2/
About KPJ Healthcare Berhad
KPJ Healthcare operates 30 hospitals across Malaysia and four Ambulatory Care Centres, serving 3.3 million patients annually with 1,491 medical consultants. Nineteen hospitals are accredited by MSQH and four by JCI. As Malaysia's first private healthcare provider to establish an Academic Health System, KPJHS integrates practice, education and research & innovation to drive clinical excellence and patient experience. Beyond hospitals, KPJ Healthcare operates Klinik Waqaf An-Nur (KWAN) clinics, dialysis centres and mobile clinics nationwide, and offers more than 40 academic programmes at KPJ Healthcare University (KPJU). KPJ Healthcare has been a constituent of the Bursa Malaysia FTSE4Good Index since 2016.
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