Dr. Mohamed Rela

About Doctor

Prof. Mohammad Rela is a world-renowned surgeon who specializes in liver transplantation and hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgery. He was born in Kiliyanur, Tamil Nadu, India and graduated from Stanley Medical College, Chennai. He then moved to the United Kingdom and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. 

Prof. Rela has performed over 6000 liver transplants in his career, including one on a five-day-old baby, which earned him an entry into the Guinness Book of Records in 2000 He has also pioneered many techniques in liver transplantation, such as split liver transplantation, auxiliary liver transplantation, and live donor liver transplantation. He has a special interest in pediatric liver transplantation and has performed over 500 such surgeries in Chennai.

Prof. Rela has also contributed to the field of pancreatic disease and surgery. He has performed many complex procedures, such as pancreaticoduodenectomy, for patients with pancreatic cancer and other conditions. He has also published many research papers in reputed journals and participated in several conferences and workshops as a presenter. He has received many awards and honors for his work, such as the Panchanna Chaterjee Oration and Gold Medal from the Association of Surgeons of India.

Prof. Rela is not only a surgeon but also an innovator and a leader. He has established his own institution, Dr Rela Institute & Medical Centre, in Chennai, India, where he provides high-quality care to patients with liver and pancreatic diseases. He has also helped to start liver transplants in tier 2 cities in Tamil Nadu, making them accessible to more people. He has also worked on many technological fields and have contributed to the computer society of India. 

Prof. Rela is a remarkable person who has made a difference in the lives of thousands of patients with his skills, knowledge, and compassion. He is an inspiration to many aspiring surgeons and a role model for the medical community. He is truly one of the best liver transplant surgeons in the world.

Medical Qualifications

• M.B.B.S Degree: Attained in 1982 from the esteemed University of Madras, India.
• M.S Achievement: Accomplished in 1987 from the University of Madras, India, signifying a significant step in academic prowess.
• FRCS Honor: Conferred in 1988 by the esteemed Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, marking global recognition in surgical excellence.
• DSc Recognition: Awarded an Honorary Doctorate (DSc) in 2013 by The Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University, India, symbolizing exceptional contributions to the medical realm.

Clinical Expertise

Professional Work Experience

• He holds the esteemed position of Professor in Liver Surgery and Transplantation at King’s College Hospital in London, a role he has held since 1993. Within this hospital, he has conducted an impressive tally of over 4000 liver transplant surgeries. Among these, he notably orchestrated a groundbreaking liver transplant on a five-day-old infant, an achievement that merited his inclusion in the Guinness Book of Records in the year 2000.
• He has pioneered many techniques in liver transplantation, such as split liver transplantation, auxiliary liver transplantation, and live donor liver transplantation. He has a special interest in pediatric liver transplantation and has performed over 500 such surgeries in Chennai.
• He has also contributed to the field of pancreatic disease and surgery. He has performed many complex procedures, such as pancreaticoduodenectomy, for patients with pancreatic cancer and other conditions. He has also published many research papers in reputed journals and participated in several conferences and workshops as a presenter.
• He has also helped to start liver transplants in tier 2 cities in Tamil Nadu, making them accessible to more people. He has also worked on many technological fields and have contributed to the computer society of India.

Career Highlights

• In the year 2000, his accomplishment of performing a liver transplantation on an infant merely five days old secured his rightful place within the pages of the Guinness Book of Records.
• He pioneered many techniques in liver transplantation, such as split liver transplantation, auxiliary liver transplantation, and live donor liver transplantation.
• He has performed over 6000 liver transplants in his career, including over 1200 at his own institution, Dr Rela Hospital, India.
• He has a special interest in pediatric liver transplantation and has performed over 500 such surgeries in Chennai.
• He has contributed to the field of pancreatic disease and surgery and has published over 400 scientific articles and papers.
• He has received many awards and honors for his work, such as the Panchanna Chaterjee Oration and Gold Medal from the Association of Surgeons of India.
• He has helped to start liver transplants in tier 2 cities in Tamil Nadu, making them accessible to more people.
• He has worked on many technological fields and have contributed to the computer society of India. 

Research and Fellowships

• Analyzing 460 liver allografts extracted during retransplantation, a transformation in disease patterns spanning 27 years was unveiled. This exploration was documented in the context of Clinical Transplantation.
• International Liver Transplant Society Consensus Statement on IMMUNOSUPPRESSION IN LIVER TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS. Transplantation.
• Progression of living liver donation worldwide. Current Opinion in Organ Transplantation.
• A rare cause of gastrointestinal bleeding in the post-transplant setting.
• Accessible Pediatric Liver Transplantation in India: A Long way to go. Indian Pediatrics.
• Restoring One Way Traffic Across the Roux Loop: The Nakajo Valve.
• Periscreen Strip Test—Rapid Diagnosis of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hepatology.
• Complete remission of refractory hepatoblastoma after liver transplantation in a child with sorafenib monotherapy: A new hope? Pediatr Blood Cancer.
• Pembrolizumab for Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma Following Live Donor Liver Transplantation: The Silver Bullet? Hepatology.
• Pediatric Liver Transplantation: An Asymmetrical War for Access to Livers. Gastroenterology.
• Development of predisposition, injury, response, organ failure model for predicting acute kidney injury in acute on chronic liver failure. Liver Int.
• Chemical and structural analysis of gallstones from the Indian subcontinent. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl.
• Small-for-Size Syndrome: Bridging the Gap Between Liver Transplantation and Graft Recovery. Semin Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth.
• Double-blind randomized controlled trial of the routine perioperative use of terlipressin in adult living donor liver transplantation. Liver Transpl.

Awards and Recoginition

• Awarded the Panchanna Chaterjee Oration and Gold Medal by the Association of Surgeons of India in December 1996.
• Served as a Senior Lecturer at King’s College, University of London in 2001.
• Achieved Recognised Teacher status and became a PhD Supervisor at the University of London in 2001.
• Appointed as a Professor of Liver Surgery and Transplantation at King’s College, University of London in 2005.
• Honored with the Scroll of Honour and Medal by Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry in 2009.
• Delivered the Dr. Madhanagopal Oration and received the corresponding Medal at Madras Medical College in 2010.
• Recognized with the Scroll of Honour by The Tamilnadu Dr. MGR Medical University in 2012.