Dr. Kenneth Liao - Robotic Heart Surgery

08/29/2025

I am truly grateful to everyone who helped make this past year such a success. It is an honor to be surrounded by such dedicated individuals whose hard work and commitment made it possible. Thank you for joining the celebration and being part of this journey.

08/13/2025

At today’s “How to” on innovation, Dr. Liao and his son Kevin shared how surgical expertise and engineering design can drive new advancements in patient care.

07/09/2025

Performing the first fully robotic human heart transplant in the U.S. has been one of the most meaningful milestones of my career.

This achievement reflects years of innovation, collaboration, and a deep commitment to advancing cardiac care. I'm incredibly proud of our surgical team at Baylor St. Luke’s for helping push the boundaries of what's possible in heart surgery.

Learn more about this breakthrough:
https://www.greenbot.com/first-fully-robotic-heart-transplant/

06/21/2025

Thank you! We’re all proud of this amazing accomplishment.

Surgeons at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center successfully performed a fully robotic heart transplant on an adult patient – the first reported in the...

06/20/2025

This transplant shows what is possible when innovation and surgical experience come together to improve patient care. I’m thankful for the support of my team and for Mr. Tony Ibarra for trusting me with his heart.

04/28/2025

This Patient Experience Week, we are honored to celebrate incredible patients like Roy Ramos, who inspire us every step of the way. Just days after his robotic coronary artery bypass surgery, Roy was already heading home — feeling strong, grateful, and ready to get back to life.
Thank you, Roy, for trusting us with your care.

04/21/2025

I’m proud to share that 100 of my patients have now benefited from cryo nerve block during heart surgery. This technique significantly reduces post-op pain and has helped us limit the need for oral and intravenous pain medications during the postoperative period after surgery. It’s one more step toward patient-first solutions.

04/16/2025

Happy Birthday to the legendary Dr. O.H. ‘Bud’ Frazier! A true pioneer in the world of heart surgery. Your contributions have saved countless lives, and your wisdom continues to inspire all of us in the field. I am lucky to call you a colleague and friend. Wishing you a day filled with joy, health, and happiness.

04/14/2025

Mitral annular caseoma is a rare and highly calcified condition that poses unique surgical challenges—especially in patients on dialysis. In our recently published case series in the Texas Heart Institute Journal, we successfully treated five patients using a robot-assisted approach for caseoma resection, with or without mitral valve replacement.

This technique allowed us to navigate delicate anatomy with greater precision and visibility—resulting in safe outcomes for all patients. It's a strong step forward in using robotic technology for complex valvular disease.

Read the full article:
https://thij.kglmeridian.com/view/journals/thij/52/1/article-e248448.xml

04/02/2025

Even on a busy day in the OR, I try to make time for heart health. Today on , I was able to take a moment to walk and talk between cases. Small steps lead to big outcomes—both in health and in surgery.

04/01/2025

Exploring Ferroptosis in Donor Hearts: A Step Toward Better Transplant Outcomes

In our latest study, published in the American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology, my team and I investigated the role of ferroptosis—a type of programmed cell death—in donor hearts after brain death (DBD) and circulatory death (DCD).

Key Takeaways:
- Warm ischemia injury (WIT >40 min) increases susceptibility to ferroptotic cell death in DCD hearts.
- Cold storage exacerbates ferroptosis in DBD hearts but has minimal impact on DCD hearts with prolonged WIT.
- Targeting ferroptosis during early warm ischemia may improve donor heart viability and expand the transplant pool.

This research highlights a new therapeutic window for protecting donor hearts from ischemic injury, potentially improving transplantation success rates.

Read the full study: journals.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/ajpheart.00806.2024

03/27/2025

Open-heart surgery isn’t your only option. With robotic heart surgery, you’ll trade a larger incision for a smarter decision—quicker recovery, less blood loss, and the same high-quality care. Because your heart matters, choose the path that puts you back on your feet sooner.