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Cardio Thoracic Surgery

The Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery was established in CMC Vellore in 1948, by an American Surgeon Dr. Reeve H. Betts. Initially, only thoracic surgery (surgery of the lungs and oesophagus) was being done, while efforts were made to establish an open heart surgery programme. Open heart surgery was in its infancy worldwide at that time.

We built an oxygenator and the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery did the first open heart surgery in the country in the year 1962.

We are doing all types of complex congenital heart surgeries, besides routine coronary artery bypass surgeries, and aortic and valve surgeries. In addition, we are doing routine closed heart and lung surgeries. We do over 900 open heart operations every year, besides over 200 closed heart and lung operations, with results comparable to the best centres in the world. So far we have done close to 18,000 open-heart operations.

We are also planning to start a Cardiac Transplantation programme shortly. In the long term, we hope to do the Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery, Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery and Robotic Surgery.

We have a regular stream of doctors, medical students and nurses from various institutions from India and abroad who visit us. We also have General Surgery Registrars who do a rotation through our department.

Save a heart today!

Surgical services:
  • Complete spectrum of Surgery for Ischemic heart disease including CABG, Ventricular Aneurysm repairs, post infarct VSDs.
  • Valve surgeries including repairs.
  • Aortic surgeries, including Root, Arch replacement, valve sparing root replacement
  • Congenital Cardiac Surgeries from arterial switches, repairs for TAPVC, Tetralogy of Fallot, VSD closure, ASD closure, PDA ligation among others.
  • Cardiac Tumours like myxomas
  • Pericardiectomy
  • Thoracic surgery, from complex lung resections to simple lobectomies
  • Cardiac lifestyle & Rehabilitation Services
  • Lifestyle educator (provides adequate information on pre-operative and post-operative care of patients who undergo cardiac surgery)
Pre-operative period:

  • Giving adequate information on disease process, Investigation & procedures done, and pre-op routines
  • Explaining to patients about pre-anaesthetic clinic visits, type of anaesthetic, freedom from pain and pre-medication on the day of surgery Explaining to patients about surgery, duration and transfer to KNICU after surgery
  • Explaining to patients about surgery, duration and transfer to KNICU after surgery
  • Explaining to patients about ICU environments and care provided
  • Teaching patients about pre-operative and post-operative exercise
Post-operative period:
  • Providing adequate information about anticoagulation therapy for all valve replacement patients
  • Helping patients gain knowledge about wound care (sternal wound & leg wound), early detection and prevention of infection
  • Providing more information on therapeutic diet (by providing individual diet sheets etc.
  • Insisting patients on regular medications (dosage, frequency, avoid doubling dosage, report of side effects) and follow-up care review date in cardio OPD and in thoracic surgery OPD

The first M.Ch Cardiothoracic program established in the country was also from our Institution. Many of the leading surgeons from other centres used to come to CMC for training during the initial years. Dr. Gopinath the first M.Ch trainee went on to become the Head of the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences for many years.

Padma Shri Dr. Stanley John took over as the Head of this department after Dr. Gopinath, and worked here for almost 25 years, establishing it as one of the best centres in the country. He was the President of the Association of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons of India, was an honorary surgeon to the President of India and was also a recipient of the Dr. BC Roy National Award.

Since then we have trained over 127 post-graduates who are now practising cardiothoracic surgery in various parts of the country and abroad. Many of them are heads of leading departments in various premier institutions of the country. We have a three-year M.Ch program for which four students are taken every year based on an all-India competitive exam.

Since 1992 we have running a Critical Care nursing programme in cardiothoracic surgery and since 1998 we have had a Diploma in Cardiothoracic nursing. We are also running a three-year Perfusion Technology course (B.Sc Cardio Pulmonary Perfusion Care Technology Course), currently taking 3 students every year. This was the first Perfusion Technology course established in the country and CMC-trained Perfusionists are running the heart-lung machine in many big centres in our country.

Assistant Professors

Asst Surgeon

Asst Surgeon

Contact Information

Address :

The Head 
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery
6th Floor, A block
Christian Medical College Vellore
Ranipet Campus, Kilminnal – Ranipet District
Vellore – 632517
Tamil Nadu, India

Email us :

Reach us :

04162282106

Working hours :

Mon-Fri: 8 am to 4.30 pm

( Sat : 8 am to 12:30 pm)