City surgeons make it to world’s elite 20

The article has collated a list of experts, who’ve pioneered significant paediatric surgical procedures or contributed to the field in other widely recognised revolutionary ways from across the world, in several areas of medicine with a focus on paediatrics. 

According to the article published recently, Dr KM Cherian of Frontier Lifeline Hospital and Dr Mohamed Rela of Global Hospitals, have been identified as one among the most illustrious paediatric surgeons from across the world. While Dr Cherian has been recognised for his contribution to the field of cardiac surgery, the article highlighted Dr Rela’s mammoth contribution to the field of transplant surgery. 

Dr Rela is one of the most wellknown liver transplant experts in the world with a focus on paediatric liver transplantation. He is the director and head, Institute of Liver Disease and Transplantation, Global Hospitals. A fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, Dr Rela has worked at the King’s College Hospital, London. The article noted that Dr Rela, who has performed more than 1,200 transplants, has ‘also pioneered the swap liver transplantation for adults. He has also performed six liver transplants and a bone marrow transplant on one patient. He is known in India and around the world for successfully performing highly complex surgeries to save the lives of very young children.’ 

Dr Cherian, Chairman and CEO, Frontier Lifeline, has been a torchbearer in the field of paediatric cardiac surgery, in a career spanning more than four decades. Dr Cherian has carried out the first successful coronary artery graft in India, first bilateral lung transplant, first paediatric heart transplant, first auto transplant, first heart and lung transplant. 

Talking about the recent recognition, he said, “It is very encouraging to be recognised as an innovative paediatric surgeon globally. As a doctor, I have always strived to adapt new innovations that can help save many lives.” The others in the list included experts from streams like ophthalmology, plastic and re-constructive surgery, anaesthesiology and foetal surgery from across the world.