Valluvan Jeevanandam, MD

Professor of Surgery

Chief, Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery

Dr. Valluvan Jeevanandam specializes in the surgical management of heart failure, and is an expert in high-risk cardiac surgery. He has performed more than 1,000 heart transplants -- including the total artificial heart -- and countless cardiac surgery procedures, including transmyocardial laser revascularization, complex valve reconstruction, and minimally invasive coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Dr. Jeevanandam has a special interest in treating patients traditionally considered inoperable. He has repaired damaged hearts in several patients awaiting transplant, enabling those patients to forgo transplantation. He also has successfully performed transplants involving patients who do not fit the standard criteria for transplant. Additionally, Dr. Jeevanandam has received national attention for his skill in performing bloodless cardiac surgery, which requires the use of precise surgical techniques to minimize blood loss during the procedure--sparing the need for a blood transfusion.

Dr. Jeevanandam is a pioneer in the field of mechanical circulatory assist devices. In October 2000, he was the first surgeon in the world to successfully implant the CardioVad, a revolutionary, permanent circulatory assist device that boosts heart function in patients with severe heart failure who are not candidates for transplant. He continues to be a recognized leader in the field of advanced heart failure and currently serves on the FDA Device Panel.

He is a world-renowned surgeon, having started high risk and cardiac assist programs in countries including China, India, the Middle East and South America.

Practice Locations

Center for Advanced Medicine
5758 S. Maryland Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637

Year Started Practice

1985

Board Certifications

Cardiac Surgery
Thoracic Surgery

Medical School

Columbia University School of Medicine, New York

Residency

Surgical, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York

Fellowship

Transplantation and Cardiothoracic Surgery, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center

Memberships

American Association of Thoracic Surgery
American College of Surgery
American Heart Association
Society of Thoracic Surgery

Languages Spoken

English
Tamil

Email

jeevan@uchicago.edu

Office Phone

(773) 702-2500

Office Fax

(773) 702-4187

Office Postal Address

Valluvan Jeevanandam, MD
The University of Chicago Medicine
5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 5040
Chicago, IL 60637

Clinical Interests

• Cardiac surgery
• Artificial hearts
• Heart transplantation
• Minimally invasive cardiac surgery
• Valvuloplasty
• Valvular heart diseases
• Ventricular assist devices
• Bloodless/transfusion-free cardiac surgery

Request an appointment online
or call UCM Connect at
1-888-824-0200

Video

Dr. Jeevanandam is featured in the following videos:

• Meet our cardiac surgeons
• Heart & kidney transplant: Kenneth's story
• Minimally invasive atrial fibrillation surgery: Lynda's story

Read More About Dr. Jeevanandam

Learn more about University of Chicago treatment services for valvular heart disease and high-risk heart disease.

Dr. Jeevanandam is featured in a story about Lyal Lauth. Tests revealed that Lyal's mitral valve needed to be replaced again. With additional health problems, his complex case needed the expertise of several University of Chicago specialists.

After researching treatment options for atrial fibrillation, Lynda Spiegel spoke with Dr. Jeevanandam. He answered her questions and helped her to feel confident in her decision to undergo minimally invasive surgery.

Before receiving a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) to treat his heart failure, Ron Lekavich was too weak to climb stairs. Dr. Jeevanandam is featured in a video and story about how the LVAD helped this music teacher get back on beat.

Each year, heart transplant recipients, their families, and physicians and staff celebrate the gift of organ donation at the heart transplant reunion. Dr. Jeevanandam is featured in a story about this annual event.

Due to a complex case of heart failure, Daniel Kusek needed advanced surgery to repair his ailing heart. Dr. Jeevanandam combined several procedures into one operation to reconstruct Kusek's heart.

Clifford Doyle, a retired Chicago police officer, was the first person in the world to leave the hospital after receiving the CardioVad, an innovative heart-assist device. Dr. Jeevanandam performed this life-saving procedure. Read Doyle's story.

In 1999, Dr. Jeevanandam was named to the Crain's Chicago Business "40 Under 40" list, a compilation of Chicago's best and brightest leaders under 40 years of age.

Selected Publications

View a partial list of Dr. Jeevanandam's publications through the National Library of Medicine's PubMed online database.