Dr. Kumar Palaniappan

Dr. Kumar Palaniappan is a Clinical Lead in Laparoscopy Liver Surgery and Senior Consultant Hepatobiliary & Liver Transplant Surgeon at Rela Hospital, Chennai, with over 20 years of surgical expertise. He completed his MBBS from Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangalore, in 1999, followed by DNB General Surgery and DNB Surgical Gastroenterology from Meenakshi Mission Hospital & Research Centre, Madurai. His specialization was further refined through a prestigious fellowship in Liver Transplantation and HPB Surgery at Medanta – The Medicity, Gurgaon, in 2012.

Dr. Palaniappan has established himself as a leading practitioner in advanced hepatobiliary and transplant surgery. He performs complex procedures including liver transplantation (living and deceased donor), laparoscopic liver resection, hepatic tumor surgery, pancreatic surgery including the Whipple procedure, and robotic HPB surgery. His international training includes advanced laparoscopic liver surgery at Iwate Medical University, Japan, and HPB surgery fellowship at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea. He has received multiple best paper and travel awards from leading international conferences including IHPBA, Japanese HPB Society, and IASGO, reflecting his contributions to advancing surgical techniques in his field.

Dr. Palaniappan is deeply committed to international patient care and regularly treats patients from the Gulf states, Africa, and South Asian countries seeking complex liver surgery and transplantation. He brings a patient-centered approach to challenging surgical cases, with particular expertise in minimally invasive techniques and single-incision laparoscopic surgery. His compassionate bedside manner and technical excellence have earned him a 4.8 rating from 179 patient reviews.

Rela Hospital, Chennai, is one of India's premier hepatology and transplant centers, equipped with state-of-the-art surgical facilities, dedicated ICU support, and an established international patient services team. The hospital maintains NABH accreditation and offers comprehensive pre- and post-operative care with a strong track record in liver transplantation. For international patients, Rela provides experienced coordinators fluent in multiple languages, visa assistance, and accommodation liaison. International patients choosing Dr. Palaniappan benefit from his global surgical exposure, proven technical mastery, and the hospital's world-class infrastructure and dedicated international patient services.