Cardiovascular surgery in India has undergone a radical evolution over the last few decades. As heart diseases became a leading cause of mortality, the need for sophisticated yet accessible cardiac treatment grew sharply. With increasing awareness, improved infrastructure, and better-trained specialists, what was once a niche domain has now become a defining force in modern Indian healthcare. And while this growth has touched metros, its most vital strides have come in smaller towns where access often means survival. Among the key individuals shaping this transition is Dr Deepak Khurana, a senior cardiac surgeon whose name has come to stand for a blend of precision, perseverance, and patient-first care.

With over two decades of surgical experience, he has performed more than 7,000 off-pump CABG procedures and nearly 2,500+ complex valve surgeries, earning respect not just for the numbers, but for the lives transformed. For six years, he was a vital part of Fortis Hospital, Mohali, and he continues to be associated with Max Hospitals and Paras Hospitals across Delhi NCR. But his work goes far beyond metro-based operating rooms. He has been instrumental in setting up cardiac surgery departments in underrepresented but crucial regions like Meerut, Raipur, Raigarh, Moradabad, Dehradun, and Ranchi, building the scaffolding for advanced cardiac surgery where it once didn’t exist. He is often called in for critical cases especially when patients have already been turned away by other hospitals.

Management Education, Specialization & Leadership across Borders

Dr Deepak Khurana started his academic career in Baroda, Gujarat, where he earned his MBBS and MS from M.S. University. His MS thesis was on the use of Pentoxy fylline in the management of diabetic foot ulcers, which clearly demonstrated an initial interest in vascular and complicated surgical procedures. He then specialized in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery (M.Ch) at Chatrapati Sahuji Maharaj University, Kanpur. In his role as a surgical casualty officer, he provided treatment for road accident victims, burns, and trauma, honing his highpressure decision-making.

Dr Deepak Khurana’s leadership went beyond the operation room. He has effectively led cardiac surgery units, played a part in planning at the departmental level, team building, CME programs, and marketing efforts. He exemplified India’s surgical skill abroad through leading programs in

Bangladesh, Iraq, and Afghanistan, with more planned in Africa that had to be put off because of the COVID-19 pandemic. From 2015 to 2017, he led the International Cardiac Mission Program for education fraternity in New Delhi, spearheading efforts to raise awareness and provide specialized cardiac care to a vital segment of the community. He traveled to the OLV Clinic in Belgium for advanced surgical training, participated in a minimally invasive cardiac surgery workshop in New York, and attended the prestigious Birmingham Review Course conducted by the Royal College of Surgeons in London experiences that shaped his international approach to surgery.

Off-Pump CABG, Valve Surgeries & Technology as a Surgical Ally

One of Dr Deepak Khurana’s specialties is off-pump CABG, in which the heart keeps beating, and stabilizers are placed on specific areas to immobilize them. The procedure requires intense focus, coordination, and zero margin of error. Each bypass needs to be stitched with tender care, usually on arteries that are millimeters in diameter. His skill at managing these with repeated success has earned him great admiration from peers and patients. Valve replacements and repairs constitute the second mainstay of his surgery skills. These involve stopping the heart and using a heart-lung machine to keep it going, so that the surgeon can replace malfunctioning valves.

Medicine isn’t a path to quick wealth, its true reward lies in the priceless moment when a healed patient walks out of the hospital with gratitude in their eyes

His work does not stop at the heart. He has also done vascular bypasses, embolectomies, and diabetic foot care to avoid amputations providing elderly patients with a new lease of life to walk again. He has also treated unusual conditions such as dextrocardia, where the heart is positioned on the right side of the chest instead of the left side, necessitating a complete reversed surgical strategy. He has been committed to lifelong learning, participating in many international and national conferences to keep himself abreast of new developments. He is firm that technology is not a substitute but reinforcement. With time, stabilizer advancements, material for suturing and imaging have improved surgical results. But there is still no replacement for the human factor. “The heart is mechanical, but healing is emotional. A surgeon’s hands may operate, but it’s trust that truly repairs”, he recollects.

Future Vision

In the future, Dr Deepak Khurana sees a day when two objectives will frame his mission, mentoring the future generation of cardiac surgeons and robotic and advanced cardiac interventions becoming more accessible and affordable. With costs for the robotic equipment still in multi-crore amounts, these technologies are not yet within reach for many hospitals as well as patients. But he feels that this will no longer be the case. As adoption grows across institutions, he predicts that the price will fall just like with other previously exclusive medical technologies. He awaits the day when remote surgery is possible, allowing a talented surgeon to perform across cities and deliver life-saving treatment to even the most distant and needy areas. For him, the quest is not technological advancement but compassionate advancement.

Awards & Recognition:

•“Excellence in Cardiac Surgery – North India” (2008)
•“IACTS Award for Clinical Excellence” – Indian Association of Cardio vascular-Thoracic Surgeons(2007)
•“Global Cardiac Educator Award” – Japan Cultural Medical Exchange (1987 & Retrospective Honor in 2011)
•Publications
•Beating Heart Cardiac Surgery - Poster selected for presentation at Australian Cardiothoracic Surgery Conference (2006)
•Off-Pump CABG in Severe LV Dysfunction - Presented at IACTS, Jaipur (2007)