Overview

Dr. Krishna Iyer is a leading paediatric cardiac surgeon in India, renowned for his clinical expertise and significant contributions to cardiac care for children both in India and developing nations. He established the first dedicated paediatric cardiac care program in Northern India at Escorts Heart Institute Research Centre (now Fortis-Escorts Heart Institute) in 1995, which has since become a benchmark for paediatric cardiac care in India and Southeast Asia. Dr. Iyer has performed over 10,000 surgeries on patients ranging from babies to adults with congenital heart diseases, including procedures such as arterial switch operations, double switch operations, TAPVC repairs, Fontan procedures, and corrections for tetralogy of Fallot, DORV, and Truncus. He pioneered the rapid two-stage arterial switch procedure in India and conducted the first successful rapid two-stage arterial switch and double-switch operations. His current interests focus on complex neonatal cardiac surgery, cardiac surgery in malnourished infants and children, salvaging late presenters of congenital heart disease, and developing cost-effective cardiac care for children in developing countries. Dr. Iyer received his basic training and served as an Additional Professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery at AIIMS before joining Escorts Heart Institute. He trained under renowned paediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. R.B.B. Mee at Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, in 1989. Dr. Iyer is also actively involved in charitable initiatives for underprivileged children, particularly through the 'Gift of Life' program by Rotary International.