Dr. K R Balakrishnan - Famous Heart Transplant Surgeon in India

Counted on the list of famous heart transplant surgeons in India, few names resonate with as much respect as Dr. K R Balakrishnan. Dr. Balakrishnan stands as one of the best surgeons for cardiothoracic surgery and heart-lung transplantation in India, bringing over 35 years of expertise in this field.

Currently serving as the Chairman of cardiac sciences and director of the Institute of heart and lung transplant & mechanical circulatory support at MGM Healthcare in Chennai, Dr. Balakrishnan has not only advanced cardiac care in India but has also placed the country as one of the best in heart transplant surgery. Under his hands, more than 503 heart transplants have been successfully performed, making him one of the most accomplished heart transplant surgeons in India.

A graduate of JIPMER in Puducherry, Dr. Balakrishnan earned his MBBS in 1976, followed by an MS in General Surgery from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, in 1980, and an MCh. in Cardiothoracic Surgery from KEM Hospital in 1982. Graduating with honours, this specialist doctor also received a Hiralal Gold Medal for his work at AIIMS.

Dr. Balakrishnan’s expertise spans end-stage congestive heart failure management, including heart and lung transplantation, paediatric cardiac surgery, treatment for cardiac arrest and mechanical circulatory support using devices such as LVADs and HVADs. His name is etched into Indian medical history for performing the country’s first permanent artificial heart transplant using the HeartMate II LVAD and for India’s first HVAD implant as destination therapy. He is also credited with conducting India’s first paediatric heart transplant—a life-saving procedure for a two-year-old Russian infant, and has successfully operated on one of the oldest recipients of a heart transplant, a 78-year-old patient in Chennai.

With over 16,000 cardiac surgeries, including heart transplants and cardiac catheterization to his credit, Dr. Balakrishnan’s work spans beyond the operating room. His work has also been published in medical journals, and contributions noted in national and international conferences through research articles, book chapters, and presentations that continue to inspire the next generation of cardiac surgeons. He was also instrumental in establishing India’s first heart failure management centre at Fortis Malar Hospital, and he has led multiple initiatives to develop advanced cardiac devices, including pulsatile and continuous-flow LVADs.