Saudi Arabia’s octogenarian monarch has undergone medical tests and had the battery of his pacemaker changed, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

King Salman will rest for several days following the procedure and “successful medical tests”, the news agency said.

Government-produced images showed the 86-year-old leaving the King Faisal Specialist Hospital in the capital, Riyadh, hunched forward and using a cane, but otherwise walking unassisted.

He was accompanied by an entourage that included his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The monarch’s health is closely watched because he holds absolute power in the kingdom.

He has appointed his 36-year-old son, Prince Mohammed, as his successor, but has already empowered him to lead day-to-day affairs.

The crown prince’s assertive and brazen style of leadership, as well as his consolidation of power and sidelining of potential rivals, has been controversial.

He has denied any involvement in the killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi, contradicting Western intelligence assessments.

In July 2020, King Salman was admitted to hospital for medical tests due to inflammation of the gallbladder. He spent 10 days in hospital, during which the gall bladder was removed.