Profile

Dr. Murali P Vettath is a new generation coronary surgeon – one of the handful of surgeons in the world, performing 100% of his coronary surgeries on beating heart (OPCAB – OFF PUMP CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS) Surgery, without the use of Heart Lung Machine. He has been a pioneer and protagonist of this “cutting edge technology” and has trained numerous surgeons and anaesthesiologists in this field of cardiac surgery around the world.

He is the only cardiac surgeon in India and from around the world, who has invented and patented both….A proximal and a distal anastamotic device for performing CABG. VAO in 2004 & SIMS in 2018

VAO (‘Vettath’s Anastomotic Obturator‘) in 2004 & SIMS  (Simple Indian made stabilizer) in 2018.

Has published 4 chapters on beating heart surgery, with three from international publications.

Has given invited lectures in 25 countries.

Has operated in eight Countries.

Has had thirty plus International publications.

He has crossed 5800 plus OPCABs in Kozhikode city by July 2021, with a mortality of less than 1%.

He has 33years post MCh experience in Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery, including 24 years as Chief Cardiothoracic Surgeon. Has performed 9000 plus open-heart surgeries with more than 5800 of them on beating heart for coronary artery bypass surgery with a mortality of less than 1%. He has hardly any conversions on to the Pump in the last sixteen years

Performed the first MICS (minimally invasive cardiac surgery) in KERALA in July 2002. Right anterior mini thoracotomy for closure of ASD.

Performed the arterial revascularization AND FIRST OPCAB SURGERY (off pump coronary artery bypass) in first Total Dhaka in 1999 and in North Kerala in 2002 and has been performing the same ever since.
Performed the first MICS-OPCAB-TAR in at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Durban, South Africa in April 2018.

Performed the First OPCAB and conducted a workshop at Provincial hospital, Port Elizabeth, South Australia, from Nov 26th to 30th,2018 and trained the surgeons there.

We performed the first OPCAB in Kaserkod on 16th March 2021 at Meitra United heart centre. This was the first ever heart surgery in north Kerala.

Has performed the maximum number of Bentalls procedure (Aortic root replacement- MORE THAN 50) in north Kerala with lowest mortality since 2002.

He has been trained in coronary artery surgery from Australia, Holland and Paris and has transferred technology to Bangladesh in the year 1999. He stayed in Bangladesh for three years and set up two cardiac centers with a contingent of twenty doctors and a hundred nurses from India. Besides he also trained cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, cardiac anaesthesiologists, cardiac nurses and paramedical staff there.

After his stint in Dhaka, Bangladesh, he is now settled in Kozhikode, his home town SINCE 2002.
Here, he established the Dept. of Cardiac surgery and Transplantation at the Malabar Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS), Kozhikode (2002-2017)

He came to Kozhikode at a time when all cardiac patients had to go to either Coimbatore or Kochi or even Chennai for their cardiac SURGERIES. After establishing this center and bringing both adult and pediatric cardiac surgery under one roof along with interventional cardiology, he has been instrumental in developing MIMS as a benchmark in Off Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in the world.

Various programs had been organized by him to make the public aware of the dangers of heart disease. He organized public marches in 2006, 2007 & 2008 on World Heart Day. More than 2000 participants from all walks of life took part in these marches. Heart exhibitions were conducted in MIMS Calicut to make the people understand heart problems and prevent it. He had also started the “SAVE A HEART – SAVE A LIFE PROGRAMME’, where poor patients are provided hundred percent free CABG – bypass procedure. He has already operated on more than ninety such eligible patients with many more are to follow.
He has also been a keen researcher in cardiac surgery with many inventions and innovations to his credit. He has invented and developed numerous devices for performing beating heart surgery, which has been published in International journals. He has also developed indigenous techniques for performing this procedure with excellent results.

Since June 2017 he has moved over as Chairman of Cardiac surgery, to establish the Cardiac surgical department in Meitra Hospital. Kozhikode, Kerala, India. This hospital is established as – A Center of excellence in Minimally Invasive cardiac surgery and OPCAB surgery.

Some of his Inventions, Innovations, modifications and developments are as follows;

Has invented -The SIMS. (Simple Indian made stabilizer) … which has been sent for patenting-(June 2015)-Performed more than 1500 OPCABs with that so far. -This has been patented on 26th Dec 2022.

He had invented the “Vettath’s Anastomotic Obturator” (VAO) which is used for performing the proximal anastomosis of the vein graft to the aorta without using the side clamp. Performed more 600 top ends using this device. – This has been Patented on 2nd April 2008.

Vettath’s Technique of Performing Top End Anastomosis of vein Graft using VAO.

Vettaths’s Blower and Blower Mister.

Vettath’s modification of Aorto-Coronary Shunt

Vettath’s –JP Cardioplegia Device

Vettath’s Technique of Long Mammary Patch Anastomosis.

Vettath’s modification of the use of IABP in OPCAB.

Has developed the “First Indian Re-engineered Stabilizer for Beating Heart Surgery”.

Has developed totally indigenous instruments to perform the first MICS-TAR in India on 13th Nov 2017

Developed the following instrumentation for MICS (minimally invasive cardiac surgery)

MICS- IMA retractor.
MICS –chest spreader.
MICS –Stabilizer -SIMS.
MICS long instruments – forceps, liga clip applicator and scissors.

Developed the Vettaths Cannulating forceps, for holding the Pacifico cannula for SVC cannulation.

Developed the Vettaths modification of the Laryngoscope to perform SV harvesting under vision with small incisions.

Developed the Vettaths, cold cautery technique to perform the skeletonized dissection of IMA.

Performed the First successful Heart transplantation at MIMS on 2nd Nov 2015. That was the second successful Htx in North Kerala.

Have so far performed 5 Heart transplantations in Calicut.

And one has survived more than 8yrs. Here at Meitra we have done two heart transplants. One is two years down the track and the other is three months old

For his contributions to cardiac surgery, he has won multiple accolades from various organisations in India and overseas.

Has been conferred the FRCS (Glasgow) in Oct.2019.

He has also conducted live workshops on OPCAB,

Nationally in:

Trivandrum – Kerala.
Kanyakumari –Tamil Nadu.
Ahmedabad – Gujarat &
New Delhi.

Internationally in:

INVITED LECTURES

• Was invited to deliver a lecture on,
HOW TO MANAGE A DISEASED AORTA.
During the IACTS techno college meeting, held at Kottayam, Kerala. Between 19th and 24th April 2024.

• Was invited to deliver a lecture on,
INNOVATION IN PROXIMAL AND DISTAL ANASTAMOTIC DEVICE. AN INDIAN INITIATIVE
During the IACTS Cardiac CME and Mid-Term GBM 2023, held on14th Oct 2023 at Madurai, Tamilnadu

• Was invited to deliver an invited lecture on;
Innovations in OPCAB surgery.
At the 69th annual conference IACTSCON, held between 16th and 19th Feb 2023, at Coimbatore, Tamilnadu,India.

• Was invited to deliver an invited lecture on;
Innovations in Cardiac surgery.
At the national Cardiac CME of IACTS, held on 15th and 16th Oct 2022, at Mangalore, K S Hegde hospital.

• Was invited to the Hobart, Tasmania Australia for a Panel Discussion On,
Coronary revascularisation- Options today.
at the ANZCTS Annual scientific meeting held between 7th and 10th of Nov, 2019.

• Was invited to the PASCAR, SA Heart & African PCR 2019 held at the Sandton Convention center, Johannesburg, South Africa, to Deliver Two Invited lectures and Chair two sessions;

Plenary session on 1st November 2019

• Revascularisation: How to make CABG more accessible across Africa.

Surgical session- 2nd November 2019

• OPCAB Surgery and its financial aspects

Chairing two sessions on 2nd and 3rd November 2019

• Delivered 3 lectures at the Provincial hospital, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, on 26th and 30th Nov 2018 on –
-Developing OPCAB surgery.
-Innovations in OPCAB.
-How to avoid conversions in OPCAB.

• Delivered three invited lecture as faculty during the PATS (Pan African thoracic society and SATS (South African thoracic society) congress 2018, held between 12th to 15th of April 2018 at Durban, South Africa.

Topics:- Developing OPCAB surgery

• How to avoid conversions.
• Innovations in OPCAB surgery.

• Delivered an invited lecture as faculty at the 64th Annual Conference of IACTS 1-4 Feb, 2018 held at Visakhapatnam.

Topic- Innovations in OPCAB- A VETTATH PERSPECTIVE.

• Delivered an invited lecture as faculty at the 11th Asian Cardiothoracic surgery specialty update course 2017 held in Singapore between 4th and 6th Dec 2017.

Topic – OPCAB surgery-Innovations.

• Delivered an Invited lecture as faculty at the 26th WSCTS annual meet held at Capetown. South Africa between 19th and 21st Sep.2016.

             Topic : Innovation in OPCAB surgery – SIMS  ( Simple      
             Mechanical Stabilizer)

• Delivered an Invited lecture as Faculty at the 62nd Annual meeting of Indian Association of Cardiovascular & Thoracic surgeons.-2016held at SGPGIMS, Lucknow, between Feb 18th- 21st, 2016. Theme-Innovations in cardiac surgery…

     Topic : Innovations in OPCAB

• Delivered an Invited lecture as Faculty at the 25th WSCTS annual conference held in Edinburg.UK, between Sep 19th and 22, 2015.

     Topic- Innovation, re-engineering and reproducibility    
     in OPCAB

• Delivered an Invited lecture as Faculty at the 23rd annual meeting of Asian Society for Cardiovascular & Thoracic surgery. 11-14th May 2015. Hong Kong.

Topic – INNOVATIONS IN OPCAB SURGERY- A MALABAR
EXPERIENCE.

• Delivered an invited lecture on- at the IACTSCON2014, held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala .India. 20th Feb 2014.

      Topic-Mechanical complications of Myocardial  
       Infarction.

• Delivered lecture during the WSCTS meet in City of Split, Croatia on the 13th of Sep 2013

     Topic-The Role of IABP in OPCAB- A Vettath’s     
     modification

• Was invited to Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam, to deliver a lecture series at the University Medical Center of Ho Chi Minh City On 18th and 19th of Nov 2012 and operate at two hospitals.

• Was invited to deliver 2 lectures during the ATCSA 2012 held between 15TH AND 18TH of NOV 2012, at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Malaysia.

Topics: Emergency and Redo CABG, made Obsolete, by PCI- A
reality.
OPCAB without endarterectomy for Diffuse CAD.

• Was invited to deliver 2 lectures during the National CTCME held at Fortis New Delhi, on 14th-15th Jan 2012. And operate there to demonstrate the technique of performing Top end anastomosis using Vettath’s anastomotic obturator on the same patient on whom 2 other proximal anastomotic devices were used. VAO was found to be equally effective as the other two- on Flow measurements. Lectures delivered

– Vettath’s anastomotic obturator and
– Vettath’s technique of long mammary patch for diffusely diseased LAD without endarterectomy on beating heart.

• Was Invited as Guest faculty to deliver Lectures and Moderate an operative session at the XXth CONGRESO ARGENTINO DE CIRUGIA CARDIOVASCULAR Y ENDOVASCULAR. Being held at Buenos Aires, Argentina, between 3rd and 5th of November 2011.] Lectures delivered:

-Current status of OPCAB without CPB.

-The role of IABP in OPCAB – A Vettath’s modification to avoid the Heart Lung Machine.

• Was invited as a faculty to deliver three lectures and operate at 2 hospitals in LIMA, Peru, during their XVI CONGRESO INTERNACIONAL CIRUGIA CARDIACA TORACICA VASCULAR, being held at the LIMA SHERATON between 17th and 19th of March 2011. Lectures delivered:

-Re-engineering in OPCAB, A Vettath’s Perspective.

-Vettaths technique of long mammary patch for diffusely diseased coronary arteries.

-Vettath’s anastomotic obturaotor- a device to avoid stroke.
As a team, with Dr AV Kannan and Dr Ismail, had the
Opportunity to perform 2 OPCABs at the University Hospital and
One OPCAB surgery at the Specialty Hospital in LIMA.

• Was invited as faculty to attend the Joint meeting of the 19th ASCVTS & 21st ATCSA and 4th AATS/ ASCVTS Postgraduate course at HOTEL HILTON, Phuket, Thailand, between May 26th and 29th 2011 and to deliver a lecture on

     -Role of IABP in OPCAB- A Vettath's Modification.

• Was invited as a Faculty to Chair a session on – The BIG DEBATE- II at the World Society of Cardiac Thoracic Surgeons meet held at Chennai, India, on 21st October 2010.

• Was invited to deliver a Guest lecture during THE ATCSA 2010, Congress held at BEIJING, between 28th and 31st October 2010.

-Changing Role Of IABP In OPCAB – A Vettath’s Modification

• At the 17th Annual meeting of the ASIAN SOCIETY OF CARDIOVASCULAR & THORACIC SURGERY, held at TAIPEI, TAIWAN between March 5th to 8th 2009 delivered a lecture on

    -Re-Engineering In OPCAB Surgery

• Dr Vettath was invited by ETHICON to perform a Road Show in CHINA. This was to deliver lectures at three different places in China from June 20th to July 25th 2008.The lectures were based on
-How To Avoid Conversions In OPCAB

Coronary surgery included only 20% of the Cardiac surgical work in the whole of China. But now with the westernization of the country there is a steady increase in CAD. Hence Cardiac Surgeons had shown a keen interest on the topic. The lectures were at:
Changchun – North East China – where more than 20 Cardiac Surgeons attended.
Guangzhou – South China – where about 25 cardiac surgeons attended.
Nanjing – East China – where 15 cardiac surgeons attended the meeting.

• KEYNOTE ADDRESS at the World Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons (WSCTS2008.com), held at KOS ISLAND, GREECE on 2nd May 2008.

“Euro- Asian Bridge” – Developing OPCAB Surgery in a Developing Country.

• 16th Annual Congress of the ASIAN SOCIETY FOR CARDIOVASCULAR & THORACIC SURGERY held between the 14th and the 16th of March 2008, at SINGAPORE. lecture delivered

Difficult OPCABS.

• At the 13TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE INDIAN ASSOCIATION FOR BRONCHOLOGY (IAB) BRONCOCON 2008. 1ST -3RD FEBRUARY 2008 ,KOZHIKODE KERALA.INDIA lecture delivered

Lung Volume Reduction Procedures – Surgical Approaches.

• At the 12th BIENNIAL CONGRESS ASSOCIATION OF THORACIC & CARDIOVASCUALR SURGEONS OF ASIA (ATCSA) on 25-28 November 2007. BALI, INDONESIA

-Can CABG Become A Closed Heart Procedure?

• At the 60TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE JAPANESE ASSOCIATION FOR THORACIC SURGERY, 17th ,- 20th October, 2007 , SENDAI, JAPAN

-How To Avoid Conversions In OPCAB

• At the 11TH DANUBIAN FORUM FOR CARDIAC SURGERY on June 1-2 2007 TIMISORA, ROMANIA.

-How To Avoid Conversions In OPCAB

• At the 15TH ANNUAL MEETING OF ASIAN SOCIETY FOR CARDIO-VASCULAR SURGERY, May, 17 – 20, 2007, BEIJING, CHINA.

-How To Avoid Conversion In OPCAB – Our Experience.

• At the 14TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE EGYPTIAN SOCIETY OF CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY on May 2-4 2007 at ALEXANDRIA. EGYPT

-How To Avoid Conversion In OPCAB

• At the CARDIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF INDIA, SUMMER CONFERENCE May 6th 2007 at TRIVANDRUM, INDIA

-Debate- Multi Vessel Disease – Why I Prefer CABG

• At the 4TH INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF THE ONASSIS CARDIAC SURGERY CENTER: CURRENT ADVANCES IN CARDIAC SURGERY AND CARDIOLOGY held between November 30th -December 2nd 2006 ATHENS GREECE

How to Avoid Conversion in OPCAB.

• At the SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME (CT- CME-2006),OF THE INDIAN ASSOCIATION OF CARDIO THORACIC-VASCULAR SURGEONS at MADRAS MEDICAL COLLLEGE held between 2ND –3RD November 2006, CHENNAI INDIA

-How To Avoid Conversion In OPCAB

• At the 13TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE EGYPTIAN SOCIETY OF CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY on 16th March 2006 At CAIRO, EGYPT, delivered a lecture series on MYOCARDIAL REVASCULARISATION

-off Pump Reconstruction Of Diffusely Diseased
Coronary Arteries – Our Experience
-OPCAB – How to Avoid Conversions – Our Experience.
-Vettath’s Anastomotic Obturator– An Indigenous
Proximal Anastomotic Device

• On 22nd November 2005 At –THE 17TH BIENNIAL CONGRESS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF THORACIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR SURGEONS OF ASIA (ATCSA) in association with PHILIPPINES ASSOCIATION OF THORACIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR SURGEONS INC at MAKATI CITY, MANILA,PHILIPPINES .

-Off-Pump Mammary Patch Reconstruction of the Diffusely Diseased LAD.

• At THE 5TH BIENNIAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE PAKISTAN SOCIETY OF CARDIOVASCULAR AND THORACIC SURGEONS, & 1ST HEART SUMMIT OF EMERGENT COUNTRIES held between 27TH and 29TH OF March 2005 at LAHORE, PAKISTAN.
-Vettath’s Anastomotic Obturator – Our Experience of 269 Proximal Anastomoses

-OFF-PUMP Reconstruction of Diffusely Diseased LAD without Endarterectomy, easily reproducible. How to do it?

• At the 51st ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF INDIAN ASSOCIATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR-THORACIC SURGEONS held between 17th to 20th February 2005 at KOCHI, INDIA.

-Recent Discoveries – Proximal Anastomotic devices
-Grafting in Difficult Situations

International He has published chapters numerous papers in National and Journals.

INTERNATIONAL CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN BEATING HEART SURGERY