Chirantan Mangukia, MD, Named Surgical Director of Lung Transplantation

MAYWOOD, IL – Chirantan Mangukia, MD, has been appointed surgical director of Lung Transplant within the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Loyola University Medical Center (LUMC) and Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Mangukia joined Loyola Medicine in March 2022, and immediately established himself as a leader in the thoracic and cardiovascular surgery department, acting as surgical director of the cardiovascular ICU.

“This is a well-earned and deserved milestone," said Jeffrey Schwartz, MD, chair of the department of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery. "Dr. Mangukia follows in the footsteps of Drs. Bakhos, Vigneswaran, Love and myself, who were dedicated to creating and building the lung transplant program. I have the utmost confidence in Chirantan that he will carry the torch forward for our very successful and distinguished program.”

“Stritch physicians-in-training are fortunate to have an opportunity to learn and train with Dr. Mangukia, one of the many outstanding surgeons on our faculty,” added Sam J. Marzo, dean and professor of otolaryngology – head and neck surgery and neurosurgery at Stritch School of Medicine.

Dr. Mangukia was born in India and received his medical degree from B J Medical College, Ahmedabad, India. He completed his general surgery residency at B J Medical College and a cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at University of Delhi. Dr. Mangukia came to the United States to do an advanced fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, where he worked with renowned surgeons such as Hartzell Schaff, MD, Joseph Dearani, MD, and Juan Crestanello, MD. When Dr. Mangukia heard his first lung transplant patient say, "not having enough air to breathe is the most dreadful feeling one can ever have," he decided to pursue advanced training in lung transplantation. During a thoracic organ transplant fellowship at Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, he received extensive training on all aspects of lung transplantation under Yoshida Toyoda, MD, PhD, and Norihisa Shigemura, MD, PhD.

This past year at Loyola Medicine, Dr. Mangukia performed multiple lung transplant surgeries. Along with Zaid Abdelsattar, MD, MS, assistant professor of surgery, and associate program director of the cardiothoracic surgery fellowship program at LUMC, he performed Loyola Medicine's first double lung transplant using the Transmedics organ care system. He also performed the first minimally invasive lung transplant operation at Loyola.

Since Loyola Medicine’s lung transplant program started in 1988, it has performed more than 1,000 lung and heart-lung transplants. At the forefront of innovation in the field, its transplant pulmonologists and surgeons are widely regarded and highly experienced in treating the most challenging cases. Loyola Medicine’s pulmonology & lung surgery is recognized among the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report.