Dr. Rajagopalan Krishnan

Medical Degrees

• MBBS — Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi · 1976
• MS (Orthopaedics) — Central Institute of Orthopaedics, Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi · 1980
• MCh (Orthopaedics) — University of Liverpool, UK · 1984 (Norman Roberts Medal — Gold Medal)
• PhD — Royal Postgraduate Medical School & Hammersmith Hospital, London · 1993

Fellowships & Special Training

• FRCS (Orth) — UK Intercollegiate Specialty Board Examination of the Surgical Royal Colleges
• 10-year Spine Service — Mid-Cheshire NHS Trust Hospital, UK (3,000+ OPD spine patients per year)
• Private Practice — BMI South Cheshire Hospital, UK
• Private Practice — Spire Stretton Hospital, UK

Certifications & Accreditations

• FRCS (Orth) — Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (Orthopaedics), UK
• PhD — University of London (Royal Postgraduate Medical School)
• MCh with Norman Roberts Medal (Gold Medal) — University of Liverpool

Major Conditions Treated

• Disc and Degenerative Spine Disease — Cervical and lumbar disc herniation, spondylosis, stenosis
• Spinal Deformities — Scoliosis (adult and paediatric), kyphosis, flatback deformity
• Spinal Tumours — Primary and metastatic spinal cord tumours, vertebral tumours
• Spinal Infections — Tuberculosis of the spine, pyogenic discitis, epidural abscess
• Spinal Fractures and Trauma — Acute trauma, pathological fractures
• Sacral Tarlov Cysts — Dr. Krishnan has developed novel surgical techniques for this condition
• Spinal Cord Injury — Acute and chronic management
• Craniovertebral Junction Disorders — Complex upper cervical deformities
• Spasticity — Upper motor neurone disorders affecting the spine
• Foot Drop — Neurological sequelae of spinal compression

Sub-Specialties

• Sacral Tarlov Cysts: Dr. Krishnan has developed his own surgical techniques for this rare and challenging condition — a clinical innovation rarely available outside of specialised international centres.
• Anterior Long and Short Segment Instrumented Correction: Novel techniques for both adult and paediatric spinal deformities — developed and refined over decades of high-volume practice.
• Complex Revision Spine Surgery: Expert in managing failed prior spine surgery — one of the most technically demanding subspecialties in orthopaedic surgery.
• Craniovertebral Junction Surgery: Jaw-splitting craniocervical surgery for complex upper cervical deformities.

Advanced Procedures & Treatments

• Cervical and lumbar discectomy (simple and complex)
• Cervical and lumbar disc replacement surgery
• TESSYS (Transforaminal Endoscopic Surgical System)
• Spinal fusion and instrumentation
• Vertebrectomy
• Total sacrectomy with lumbopelvic reconstruction
• Spinal deformity correction (scoliosis, kyphosis)
• Manubriosternotomy for upper thoracic anterior instrumentation
• Jaw-splitting craniocervical surgery
• Complex revision of failed spine surgery
• Shape memory metal rod and staple instrumentation for spinal deformities
• Spinal reconstruction for trauma and spinal tumours

Current Affiliation

Senior Consultant — Orthopaedics (Spine Surgery) | Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi | 2012 – Present

Past Experience

• Senior Consultant | Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi | 1995 – 1999
• Consultant — Orthopaedics and Spine Surgery | Mid-Cheshire NHS Trust Hospital, UK | 1999 – 2012
• Private Practice — Spine Surgeon | BMI South Cheshire Hospital, UK | During UK tenure
• Private Practice — Spine Surgeon | Spire Stretton Hospital, UK | During UK tenure

Academic & Research Roles

• Active involvement in spinal deformity research — novel techniques for Tarlov cysts and anterior instrumented correction
• Regular auditing of surgical outcomes using Oswestry Disability Index and Canadian Neck Disability Index
• Collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) — utilising stem cells and growth factors for spinal cord injury, deformity, and disc disorders
• Member — Association of Spine Surgeons of India (ASSI)
• Member — Delhi Spine Society
• Past Member — British Orthopaedic Association

Key Achievements

• 48+ years of orthopaedic and spine surgery experience
• Performing over 350 spine surgeries annually
• MCh with Norman Roberts Medal (Gold Medal) — University of Liverpool, 1984
• PhD from the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London — 1993
• FRCS (Orth) from the UK Intercollegiate Surgical Royal Colleges
• Developed novel surgical techniques for Sacral Tarlov cysts and anterior instrumented spinal correction
• 10 years managing a high-volume NHS spine service at Mid-Cheshire (3,000+ OPD patients/year)

National & International Awards

• Norman Roberts Medal (Gold Medal) — MCh Orthopaedics, University of Liverpool · 1984
• PhD — Royal Postgraduate Medical School & Hammersmith Hospital, London · 1993
• FRCS (Orth) — UK Surgical Royal Colleges

Professional Memberships

• Association of Spine Surgeons of India (ASSI)
• Delhi Spine Society
• Delhi Medical Council
• British Orthopaedic Association — Past Member
• Arthritis & Rheumatism Council of the Wolfson Foundation

Published Papers (Selected)

Dr. Krishnan has a research portfolio spanning over four decades. His novel techniques for Sacral Tarlov cysts and anterior instrumented spinal correction have been presented at national and international conferences. He regularly audits surgical outcomes using internationally validated tools. Full publication list available on request through Cancer Rounds.

Ongoing Research & Clinical Interests

• Stem cell and growth factor applications for spinal cord injury and disc disorders (in collaboration with ICMR)
• Surgical outcomes in complex revision spine surgery
• Novel instrumentation for adult and paediatric spinal deformities
• Sacral Tarlov cyst — surgical management outcomes

Case 01 — Complex Cervical Spinal Deformity in a Pakistani Child: Dr. Krishnan successfully treated a child with a severe complex cervical spinal deformity — a case that subsequently gained international attention and was covered by the BBC. The case demonstrated the exceptional complexity of craniocervical junction surgery and the life-changing outcomes that Dr. Krishnan's surgical expertise can achieve for international patients.

Case 02 — Total Sacrectomy with Lumbopelvic Reconstruction: A patient with a sacral tumour requiring en bloc total sacrectomy — one of the most technically complex and rarely performed procedures in spine surgery — underwent successful resection with complete lumbopelvic reconstruction under Dr. Krishnan at Apollo New Delhi. The patient regained ambulatory function, demonstrating the surgical capability available at a tertiary spine referral centre.

• UK-Trained Precision: International patients choose Dr. Krishnan for the confidence that his FRCS, MCh (Gold Medal), and PhD from UK institutions bring to complex spine cases.
• Empathetic Communication: Praised for explaining complex spinal conditions and surgical options with patience and clarity — "he patiently addressed all my concerns and explained the procedure in detail, alleviating my fears."
• Life-Changing Outcomes: Patients describe outcomes that restored them from severe disability to normal function — "thanks to his meticulous approach and surgical skill, I am now able to enjoy life without the limitations imposed by my spine condition."
• Complex Case Leadership: Referred by other hospitals for cases deemed inoperable or too complex elsewhere — particularly appreciated by patients who have already consulted multiple surgeons without success.

Patient-Centred Care

Dr. Krishnan's approach is shaped by over four decades of clinical practice in both the Indian and UK healthcare systems. He conducts thorough pre-operative assessments and regularly uses internationally validated outcome tools (Oswestry Disability Index, Canadian Neck Disability Index) to objectively measure functional improvement. He invests significant time in pre-operative counselling — ensuring patients understand the precise nature of their spinal condition, the surgical approach proposed, realistic expectations for recovery, and the risks involved before proceeding.

Technology & Innovation

Dr. Krishnan has pioneered novel surgical techniques for Sacral Tarlov cysts and anterior long and short segment instrumented correction for spinal deformities — procedures he has refined over decades. He works with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on stem cell and growth factor research for spinal cord injury and disc disorders, representing his commitment to advancing the frontiers of spine surgery beyond conventional implant-based approaches. He performs the full spectrum of complex procedures including TESSYS (endoscopic spine surgery), jaw-splitting craniocervical surgery, and total sacrectomy with lumbopelvic reconstruction.

* Indicative estimates only. Actual costs subject to hospital pricing and case complexity. Contact Cancer Rounds for a personalised quote.

Language Support

Dr. Krishnan is fluent in English and Hindi. Cancer Rounds provides professional medical interpretation in Arabic, French, Russian, and other languages on request.

Visa & Travel Assistance

Cancer Rounds provides medical visa invitation letters, airport transfers, and local accommodation coordination for international patients seeking treatment from Dr. Rajagopalan Krishnan at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi.

Virtual Consultations

Virtual pre-travel consultations are available through Cancer Rounds for review of MRI/CT imaging, prior surgical records, and clinical assessment before arrival in New Delhi for spine surgery.

1. Q: What advanced technologies does Dr. Rajagopalan Krishnan use in spine surgery?

   A: Dr. Krishnan uses TESSYS (Transforaminal Endoscopic Surgical System), disc replacement surgery, complex spinal deformity correction with shape memory instrumentation, jaw-splitting craniocervical surgery, and total sacrectomy with lumbopelvic reconstruction. He has also developed novel techniques for Sacral Tarlov cysts and is actively researching stem cell applications for spinal cord injury with ICMR.

2. Q: What conditions does Dr. Rajagopalan Krishnan specialise in treating?

   A: Dr. Krishnan specialises in disc and degenerative spine disease, spinal deformities (scoliosis, kyphosis), spinal tumours, spinal infections, spinal fractures and trauma, Sacral Tarlov cysts, craniovertebral junction disorders, spinal cord injury, spasticity, and complex revision of failed spine surgery.

3. Q: How do I book an appointment with Dr. Rajagopalan Krishnan?

   A: Appointments can be booked directly through the Cancer Rounds website or by contacting their international patient department for priority scheduling.

4. Q: Can international patients receive treatment from Dr. Rajagopalan Krishnan?

   A: Yes. Cancer Rounds provides full assistance for international patients seeking treatment from Dr. Rajagopalan Krishnan, including medical visa invitation letters, airport transfers, and local accommodation coordination in New Delhi.

5. Q: What support is available for international patients?

   A: International patients benefit from a dedicated concierge service provided by Cancer Rounds, including language interpretation, financial counselling, and pre-travel virtual consultations to review medical records before arrival.

6. Q: Does Dr. Rajagopalan Krishnan offer second opinions for spine surgery cases?

   A: Yes — particularly for patients told they are inoperable or who have had prior failed spine surgery. Virtual second opinion consultations can be arranged via Cancer Rounds for review of MRI/CT imaging and operative records.