Dr. Akila Rajakumar 
MBBS, MD
HPB and Liver Transplant Surgeon
Director
24 Years of Experience
Rela Multi-Speciality Hospital, Chennai
English, Hindi
About Dr. Akila Rajakumar
Dr. Akila Rajakumar is a senior anesthesiologist and intensive care expert, currently serving as Director of Liver Intensive Care. She also heads academic training as Course Director for the Fellowship in HPB and Liver Transplant Anaesthesia. After her postgraduate training in anesthesia, she pursued advanced practice in the United Kingdom, working for nearly five years in the NHS across London, East Anglia, and Edinburgh. On returning to India, she played a pioneering role in setting up dedicated liver anesthesia and intensive care services at Global Health City, Chennai, and has since managed over 1000 liver transplants, including more than 250 pediatric cases.
She currently leads a large team of intensivists and caregivers, providing critical care services across 100 ICU beds, with 36 beds exclusively for liver intensive care. Dr. Akila is also actively involved in medical education, research, and leadership roles within international transplant anesthesia societies, strengthening the standards of critical care in liver transplantation.
Qualifications of Dr. Akila Rajakumar
- MBBS – Madras Medical College, Chennai (2000)
- MD (Anaesthesia) – Madras Medical College, Chennai (2004)
- FRCA – Royal College of Anaesthetists, UK (2008)
Special Area of Interest
- Liver Transplant Anaesthesia
- Intensive Liver Care
- Combined Liver and Kidney Transplantation
- Acute Liver Failure
- Pediatric Liver Transplant Anaesthesia
Work Experience of Dr. Akila Rajakumar
- Director – Liver Intensive Care and Course Director for HPB & Liver Transplant Anaesthesia Fellowship, Rela Hospital (current).
- Senior Anaesthetist and Intensivist, Gleneagles Global Hospital, Chennai (2009 – 2018).
- Consultant Anaesthetist, NHS UK, across London, East Anglia, and Edinburgh (2004 – 2009).
Awards & Recognition
- Recognized for establishing specialized liver anaesthesia and intensive care protocols in Chennai.
- Contributed as invited faculty and speaker at national and international conferences on liver transplantation.
- Key role in founding the Liver Transplant Anaesthesia Society of India (LITRACSI) in 2018.
Membership
- Treasurer, Liver Transplant Anaesthesia Society of India (LITRACSI)
- Chief Operating Officer, Federation of Transplant Anaesthesia Society under SATA (Society for Advancement of Transplant Anaesthesia)
- Active faculty and invited speaker at International Liver Transplant Society (ILTS) meetings
- Member, Royal College of Anaesthetists, UK
Research Paper Published By Dr. Akila Rajakumar
- Anaesthesia and Critical Care for Liver Resection – textbook chapter contribution.
- Small-for-Size Syndrome: Bridging the Gap Between Liver Transplantation and Graft Recovery – Semin Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth, 2017.
- Routine perioperative use of terlipressin in adult living donor liver transplantation – Liver Transplantation, 2017.
- Anaesthesia and intensive care for simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation – Indian Journal of Anaesthesia, 2016.
- Safe emergency evacuation of a tertiary care hospital during floods in Chennai – Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine, 2016.
- Anaesthetic considerations for liver transplantation in propionic acidemia – Indian Journal of Anaesthesia, 2016.
- Guest editor articles for ILTS Education Website, 2015 – “Small For Size Syndrome in Living Donor Liver Transplantation.”
