Krishnanunni Nair

About

Dr. Krishnanunni Nair is a pioneering transplant surgeon whose work is fundamentally reshaping living donor liver transplantation through the adoption of robotic surgery. His primary research focuses on advancing minimally invasive donor hepatectomy, specifically robotic right donor hepatectomy (RDH), to improve donor outcomes and safety. Dr. Nair’s major contributions include demonstrating that robotic RDH can be safely performed even in extended criteria donors—those with large grafts or complex biliovascular anatomy—as shown in his propensity score matched analysis (16 citations). He has also documented a “tectonic shift” in surgical technique, comparing pure robotic RDH to the traditional open approach, finding reduced morbidity (14 citations). His cumulative work, analyzing over 260 robotic donor hepatectomies, challenges the notion that this approach is merely cosmetic, instead proving its clinical value. Dr. Nair’s impact is evident in his growing citation count and his critical analyses of complications and recipient outcomes, making him a leading voice in the safe, widespread adoption of robotic techniques for living donor liver transplantation.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Extended criteria donors for robotic right hepatectomy: A propensity score matched analysis

   16 citations · 2022
2. 2
   Open to robotic right donor hepatectomy: A tectonic shift in surgical technique

   14 citations · 2022
3. 3
   260 ROBOTIC DONOR RIGHT HEPATECTOMY: IS IT JUST FLAUNTING THE SCAR?

   8 citations · 2020
4. 4
   Minimally Invasive Donor Hepatectomy

   3 citations · 2025
5. 5
   To Err Is Robot—An analysis of complications following robotic donor hepatectomy

   3 citations · 2025
6. 6
   Letter to the Editor: Minimally invasive donor hepatectomy—Would the robotic approach ameliorate recipient bile leak rates compared to pure laparoscopic technique?

   2 citations · 2023

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links