Finding the best heart surgeon in Kuala Lumpur can be a daunting task, especially with the wealth of reputable specialists and world-class medical institutions available in the federal territory and Greater Kuala Lumpur. Whether you are seeking treatment for complex coronary artery disease, heart valve repair, or congenital heart defects, choosing the right cardiothoracic surgeon can have a profound impact on your diagnosis, surgical outcome, and overall recovery.
In this guide, we highlight key considerations and expert recommendations for selecting a cardiac surgeon who suits your specific cardiovascular health needs. While we do not endorse one definitive “best” heart surgeon—as every patient’s clinical background, anatomical requirements, and personal preferences differ—this guide is crafted to support informed, confident decision-making.
Back to: Heart And Vascular Diseases in Malaysia
When Should You See A Heart Surgeon?
A heart surgeon (cardiothoracic surgeon) performs operative treatments for cardiovascular conditions, often working closely with interventional cardiologists. We recommend arranging a specialist consultation as soon as possible if you experience or present with any of the following:
- Persistent Chest Pain or Angina: Recurrent chest tightness, pressure, or discomfort radiating to the jaw, neck, arm, or back that fails to resolve with medication.
- Severe Shortness of Breath (Dyspnoea): Difficulty breathing during minimal exertion or whilst lying flat, which may signal heart failure or advanced valvular dysfunction.
- Diagnosed Structural Heart Conditions: Diagnostic findings showing severe coronary artery blockage, aortic aneurysms, or significant valve stenosis/regurgitation requiring surgical repair or replacement.
- Congenital Heart Defects: Known structural heart malformations in children or adults that require complex corrective or palliative surgery.
- Inadequate Response to Non-Surgical Therapies: Conditions where interventional procedures (such as angioplasty or stenting) are either clinically unfeasible or have not yielded sufficient cardiac clearance.
In these situations, it is crucial not to delay care—prompt consultation with a qualified cardiac specialist enables timely evaluation via echocardiograms, coronary angiograms, and CT scans to determine if surgical intervention is necessary.
Selection Criteria and Evaluation Standards
Choosing the best gastroenterologist in Singapore is a personal decision. Here are key factors to consider:
- Qualifications And Accreditation
Ensure the surgeon is fully registered with the National Specialist Register (NSR) Malaysia in Cardiothoracic Surgery. Look for advanced fellowship training from internationally renowned centres, such as Fellowships from the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (FRCS) in the UK, Australasia, or North America. - Subspecialty Focus
Cardiothoracic surgery encompasses multiple specialized fields. Confirm whether the surgeon’s primary focus aligns with your condition—such as minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), aortic root reconstruction, heart valve repair, or paediatric congenital heart surgery. - Hospital Affiliation and Infrastructure
Surgeons rely heavily on hospital infrastructure. Leading private and sub-specialised healthcare institutions in Greater Kuala Lumpur—such as Institut Jantung Negara (IJN), Cardiac Vascular Sentral Kuala Lumpur (CVSKL), Prince Court Medical Centre, and Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur—offer advanced hybrid operating theatres, Dedicated Cardiac Intensive Care Units (CICU), and multidisciplinary support teams. - Patient-Centred Approach and Communication
Cardiac procedures carry inherent psychological and physical weight. The ideal surgeon communicates complex procedural risks clearly, listens to patient concerns, collaborates openly with families, and structures a clear post-operative rehabilitation plan. - Availability and Accessibility
Evaluate clinic location, surgical scheduling availability, and emergency responsiveness. Patients seeking immediate private access may prefer private medical centres across Greater KL, whereas others may choose premier specialised tertiary centres.
List Of Best Heart Surgeons In Kuala Lumpur
Last Updated: September 2026
Below is a compiled list of heart surgeons you may consider, with details on their clinic and area of expertise. This list is non-exhaustive, and can serve as a starting point for your search for the best heart surgeon in Kuala Lumpur that fits your requirements.
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► Dr John Chan Kok Meng – Cardiac Vascular Sentral Kuala Lumpur
- Professional Qualifications: BMedSci (Nottingham), BM BS (Nottingham), DIC (Imperial), MSc (LSHTM), PhD (Imperial), FRCS Ed, FRCS (CTh) (Eng), CCT (UK), FAHA (USA).
- Areas of Expertise: Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), heart valve repair and replacement, Arrhythmia Surgery, Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection Surgery, Lung Cancer Surgery, and Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS).
- Location of Practice: Cardiac Vascular Sentral Kuala Lumpur (CVSKL), Jalan Stesen Sentral 5, Kuala Lumpur Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Contact Information: +60 3-2276 7092
- Recommendation Reason: Patients value Dr John Chan for his expertise, approachable manner, and reassuring approach throughout their surgical care.
► Dato’ Dr Hamdan Leman – Cardiac Vascular Sentral Kuala Lumpur
- Professional Qualifications: MD (UKM), MS (UKM), Fellowship in Adult Cardiothoracic Surgery (Liverpool), Fellowship in Paediatric Cardiac Surgery (Westmead), AM (Malaysia), FNHAM (Malaysia).
- Areas of Expertise: Arrhythmia surgery, Neonatal Cardiac Durgery, Congenital Heart Disease.
- Location of Practice: Cardiac Vascular Sentral Kuala Lumpur (CVSKL), Jalan Stesen Sentral 5, Kuala Lumpur Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Contact Information: +60 3-2276 7218
- Recommendation Reason: Dato’ Dr Hamdan combines technical precision with a thoughtful, patient-centric approach to deliver exceptional cardiac care.
► Dr Kenny Cheng Keng Peng – Subang Jaya Medical Centre
- Professional Qualifications: MBBS(Malaya) MSurg(Malaya) MRCS(Edinburgh) FRCS(C.Th)(Edin) MEBCTS(European Board) FEBCTS(Adult Cardiac) FEBCTS(Congenital).
- Areas of Expertise: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), Minimally invasive Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS), Lung cancer, Thoracic and Mediastinal tumours.
- Location of Practice: Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC), No. 1, Jalan SS 12/1A, Ss 12, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
- Contact Information: +60 1-9317 1818
- Recommendation Reason: Holding prestigious European Board subspecialty fellowships in both adult and congenital heart surgery, Dr Cheng provides exceptional surgical expertise.
► Dr Lim Yew Cheng – Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur
- Professional Qualifications: MBBS, FRCS.
- Areas of Expertise: Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABG), Heart Valve Surgery, Aortic Surgery, Coronary Angioplasty.
- Location of Practice: Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur, 282, 286 & 288 Block A, B and Medical Office Block, Jln Ampang, Kampung Berembang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Contact Information: 03-4251 1155 / 4253 3681
- Recommendation Reason: As one of the long-standing senior cardiothoracic consultants in Malaysia, Dr Lim is highly regarded for his vast clinical experience.
► Dr Paneer Selvam A/L Krishna Moorthy – Institut Jantung Negara (IJN)
- Professional Qualifications: BMedSc (Mal), MD (Mal), FRCS (UK), FRCS (C-Th) (UK)
- Areas of Expertise: Paediatric Cardiac Surgery, Congenital Heart Surgery, Aortic Surgery, Endovascular repair (TEVAR & EVAR).
- Location of Practice: Institut Jantung Negara (IJN), 145, Jln Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Contact Information: + 603 2617 8844
- Recommendation Reason: Dr Paneer Selvam brings extensive expertise in managing high-risk cardiac cases with exceptional care.
► Prof Dato’ Seri Dr Mohd Azhari Yakub – Institut Jantung Negara (IJN)
- Professional Qualifications: MBBS (Aus), OAMLP (UK), FRCS (UK).
- Areas of Expertise: Heart & Lung Transplantation, Adult cardiac surgery, Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Heart Failure Management.
- Location of Practice: Institut Jantung Negara (IJN), 145, Jln Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Contact Information: + 603 2617 8844
- Recommendation Reason: Prof Dato’ Seri Dr Azhari is internationally recognised for his clinical leadership and expertise in complex reconstructive valve surgery.
► Prof Dato’ Sri Dr Mohamed Ezani MD Taib – Institut Jantung Negara (IJN)
- Professional Qualifications: MBBS (Mal), MBA Essential (UK), FRCS (UK), Fellowship in Transplantation (UK)
- Areas of Expertise: Coronary Artery Surgery, Valvular Heart Disease, Cardiac Pacing
- Location of Practice: Institut Jantung Negara (IJN), 145, Jln Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Contact Information: + 603 2617 8844
- Recommendation Reason: Prof Dato’ Sri Dr Ezani is a leading authority in advanced heart failure therapies, heart transplantation, and complex mechanical circulatory support in Malaysia.
► Prof Dr Shahrul Amry Hashim – KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital 2
- Professional Qualifications: BMedSc (Scotland), MBChB (UK), MRCS (Edin), FRCS (C-Th) (Edin).
- Areas of Expertise: Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery (MICS), Minimally Invasive Lung Surgery (VATS), Aortic Root Surgery
- Location of Practice: KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital 2 (DSH2), 1, Jalan Bukit Lanjan 3, Bukit Lanjan, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Contact Information: 03 – 7717 3000
- Recommendation Reason: Dr Shahrul has over 25 years of operating room experience, and is considered as one of Malaysia’s pioneers in the field of Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery (MICS).
► Dr Sivakumar A/L Sivalingam – Institut Jantung Negara (IJN)
- Professional Qualifications: MBBS (Ind), M.Med (S’pore), FRCS (UK), FRCS (UK), FRCS-C.Th (UK).
- Areas of Expertise: Paediatric Cardiac Surgery, Congenital Heart Surgery
- Location of Practice: Institut Jantung Negara (IJN), 145, Jln Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Contact Information: + 603 2617 8844
- Recommendation Reason: Widely celebrated for his dedicated work in paediatric cardiac care, Dr Sivakumar leads intricate surgical procedures for newborns, children, and adults with congenital cardiac conditions.
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Cardiothoracic Surgeons In Kuala Lumpur
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