Dr Revathi Raj is a consultant pediatric hematologist at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai.
She is credited with one of the largest series in bone marrow transplants in the country.
She runs Paediatric leukaemia/lymphoma service which offer 80% cure rates.
Dr Raj has successfully treated haemophilia and sickle-cell diseases.
Speciality And Areas Of Interest
Paediatrics
Haematology and adult medicine
Bone marrow transplantation
Haemophilia
Sickle-cell disease
Work Experience
RECENT APPOINTMENT Consultant Paediatric Haematologist Apollo Hospitals, Chennai 24/4/02 till date
Honorary Consultant Voluntary Health Services, Chennai October 2006 till date
PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS
Registrar in Haematology National Blood Service, Birmingham (2 months) 1/10/01 to 30/11/01
Registrar in Haematology Children's Hospital Birmingham (3 years) 1/10/98 to 30/9/01
Registrar in Haematology Heartlands Hospital Birmingham (12 months) 1/10/97 to 30/9/98
Registrar in Haematology Queen Elizabeth Hospital (6 months) 1/4/97 to 30/9/97
Registrar in Haematology Worcester Royal Infirmary (11 months) 9/5/96 to 31/3/97
Registrar in PICU Bristol Royal Hospital for Children (6 months) 1/8/95 to 6/2/96
Senior House Officer in Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport Neonatology 1/2/95 to 31/7/95 (6 months)
Senior Senior House Officer Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil in Paediatrics 1/8/94 to 31/1/95 (6 months)
Senior House Officer in Government General Hospital,Madras Internal Medicine 1/11/93 to 31/1/94 (3 months)
Senior House Officer in Institute of Child Health and Hospital Paediatrics for Children, Madras (6 months) 1/5/93 to 31/10/93
Postgraduate in Paediatrics Institute of Child Health and Hospital (D.C.H.) for Children, Madras (10 months) 1/6/92 to 30/4/93
Senior House Officer in Government General Hospital, Madras Internal Medicine 1/2/92 to 30/4/92 (3 months)
Senior House Officer in Institute of Child Health and Hospital Paediatrics for Children, Madras (12 months) 1/2/91 to 31/1/92
HouseOfficer in Medicine, Government General Hospital, Madras Surgery and Obs.& Gynae 20/1/90 to 19/1/9 (12 months) -My interest in paediatrics arose from my experience in this discipline while still a medical student and the fact that I have always loved working with children. I have also been fascinated with haematology which combines clinical and laboratory skills.
WEST MIDLANDS REGIONAL REGISTRAR ROTATION IN HAEMATOLOGY Worcester Royal Infirmary Dr.A.H.Sawers & Dr.R.J.Stockley Worcester (August 1996 to March 1997) - My placement here provided a challenging introduction to haematology and adult medicine. I had formal induction in laboratory haematology and gained practical experience in performing bone marrow examinations and lumbar punctures. I also trained in the outpatient, inpatient and day unit care of patients with haematological problems.
The haematology laboratory service in a district general hospital setting where liaison with other specialities is an important aspect of the service proved a particularly useful experience.
Queen Elizabeth hospital Dr.J.A.Murray, DrJ.T.Wilde & Birmingham Dr.J.A.Holmes (April 1997 to September 1997) This is the main University of Birmingham teaching hospital functioning with Selly Oak hospital as one trust.
The haematology department includes the Regional Haemophilia Comprehensive Care Centre providing valuable experience in hereditary and acquired disorders of haemostasis and thrombosis.
During my placement here I was able to prepare two abstracts on the use of Protease inhibitor therapy in HIV infected haemophilia patients.
I was actively involved in training of senior house officers who rotated through the post and helped prepare a book of ward protocols for them.
Birmingham Heartlands Hospital Dr.D.W.Milligan & Dr.C.D.Fegan Birmingham (October 1997 to September 1998) This is a 1000 bed teaching hospital with a large haematology department and is the largest entrant into national leukaemia and lymphoma trials in the West Midlands It also participates in phase III drug trials.
It provides a district and regional haematology referral service and regional bone marrow transplantation service. While working here, I also gained valuable exposure to management by attending directorate and hospital transfusion committee meetings.
The day unit here provides plasmapheresis, leukapheresis and peripheral stem cell harvesting services.
I trained in the insertion of Hickman and femoral lines and also furthered my clinical and laboratory haematology skills enabling me to pass the Part I MRCPath in my first attempt.
I also spent four weeks at the West Midlands Regional blood transfusion service training in transfusion medicine. The Birmingham Childrens Hospital Dr.F.G.Hill, Dr.M.D.Williams Birmingham & Dr.P.J.Darbyshire (October 1998 to November 2001) This is a tertiary referral centre for children with haematological problems in the West Midlands region.
I have had the opportunity to train in the inpatient, outpatient and day unit care of childhood leukaemias, bleeding disorders, haemoglobinopathies and immune deficiencies.
I have been actively involved in the management of children having bone marrow transplantation and have also submitted a paper on the use of FK506 in steroid resistant acute graft versus host disease.
I passed the MRCPath II examination in spring 2001 with a slant towards paediatric haematology.
I had attended most of the directorate meetings, helped prepare a manual of paediatric haematology for rotating registrars and prepared and presented audit projects. Apollo Hospitals, Chennai (24/4/2002 till date) I have been practising as a consultant in this 500 bed private hospital in Chennai which is the largest healthcare provider in Asia.
I help run the Paediatric leukaemia/lymphoma service with one of the best outcomes in India (over 80% cure rates).
It has an active Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation unit of which I have been part of the paediatric service.
I have performed 152 transplants in children with the first successful unrelated transplant in India. We have done the maximum number of peripheral blood stem cell harvesting in children in India (over 50) and cord blood transplantation (35). The BMT unit has helped cure over 50 children with thalassaemia.
I have also been involved in conducting hospital CME meetings and nurse training programmes for chemotherapy administration and oncology care.
I have made numerous presentations at local meetings on anaemia, bleeding diathesis and bone marrow transplantation.
I help run the Fanconi Anaemia registry for India – REFAIN that helps collect data on children with Fanconi anaemia and provide supportive care.
As a community outreach programme, I helped set up the Thalassaemia Welfare Association in Voluntary Health Services, Chennai. The centre helps care for over 200 patients with thalassaemia major who are given free blood transfusion, expert consultation and iron chelation therapy.
I am the program director for the Fellowship programme conducted by the National Boards in Paediatric Haematology/Oncology for training yound doctors in this field COURSES AND CONFERENCES
Advanced Paediatric Life Support Course Bristol, November 1995
Clinical audit in pathology University Hospital, Birmingham, July 1997
Morphology course, Dr.Bain St.Mary's London, March 1998
Blood transfusion course. Brentwood, October 1998
European Haematology Association meeting Birmingham June 2000
Management for haematologists Warwick University, Coventry, June 2000
Risk management course Sandwell hospital, November 2000
Bleeding disorders in women - 1 day course Royal College of Obstetricians in London, February 2001
Association of Clinical Pathologists - Management course Warwick University, September 2001
Laboratory diagnosis of haemoglobinopathies Barbara Bain, London, October 2001
Bone marrow transplantation- European School of Haematology Athens, November 2001
American Society of Haematologists meeting Orlando, December 2001
American Society of Haematologists meeting Philadelphia, December 2002
American Society of Haematologists meeting San Diego, December 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006
Indian society of Haematology meeting Vellore, November 2004
Bone marrow transplantation in children- European School of Haematology Genoa, June 2008
International update on paediatric NHL – Frankfurt, June 2009
Invited attendee – International Fanconi Anaemia meet – Eugene – October 2009
ASBMT – February 2010
PHOCON 2010 – November 2010
International update on paediatric malignancies – RGCON 2011 – February 2011
International Cord Blood Congress – Rome – October 2011
PHOCON 2011 – Mumbai – November 2011
International meet on Primary Immunedeficiency disorders – Invited faculty – Chandigarh 2012 Presentation forums
IAP meetings – Indian Academy of Paediatrics
PHOCON – Paediatric Haematology Oncology meeting in India
ASBMT- American Society of Bone marrow transplantation
ASH- American Society of Haematology
SIOP – Society for International Paediatric Oncology
ISHTM – Indian Society for Haematology and Transfusion Medicine