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Singapore General Hospital Find a Doctor Kamen Petkov Valchanov

Assoc Prof Kamen Valchanov

MD, BSc, FRCA, FFICM

Senior Consultant

Singapore General Hospital Singapore General Hospital

Specialty: Anaesthesiology

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Conditions Treated By This Doctor

Anaesthesia Intensive Care Medicine

Clinical Interests

Cardiac Anaesthesia, Chronic Pain Management, Intensive Care Medicine

Clinical Appointments

Senior Consultant

Anaesthesiology

About

Dr Valchanov is a Senior Consultant in Anaesthesia in SGH. He has practiced for many years in Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, as well as Chronic Pain in the UK. He also spent 2 years in British Columbia Canada before moving to Singapore.

Education and Training

  • ​LMCC
  • FFICM
  • FRCA

Professional Appointments and Committee Memberships

Clinical Appointments:

  • ​Staff Anesthesiologist, Royal Columbian Hospital, British Columbia, Canada
  • Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK
  • Specialist Registrar in Anaesthesia, Intensive Care, and Pain Medicine in the East Anglia Deanery, UK
  • Senior House Officer in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care in Kent and Sussex Hospital, Tunbridge Wells and William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, Kent, UK
  • Senior House Officer in Renal Medicine and Haematology, Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester, Dorset, UK
  • Internship in Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Varna Medical University, Varna, Bulgaria
  • Part-time Demonstrator in Anatomy, Varna Medical University, Varna, Bulgaria

Academic Appointments:

  • Former Senior Clinical Tutor for the Cambridge University, UK
  • Former Visiting Research Fellow, Department of Oral Pathology, King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK
  • Former Part-time Research Student in Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy and Histology, Varna Medical University, Varna, Bulgaria

Professional Appointments and Committee Memberships:

  • Former Examiner for Royal College of Anaesthetists, UK

Education:

  • Former Senior Clinical Tutor for Cambridge University, UK
  • Former Tutor for Anaesthesia, Papworth Hospital, UK
  • Former Tutor for Intensive Care Medicine, Papworth Hospital, UK

Awards

  • ​Clinical Excellence Awards from Royal Papworth Hospital, UK
  • Valedictor of Varna Medical University, Bulgaria
  • National Academic Award, Bulgaria

Research Interests

  • ​ECMO support in Intensive Care
  • Cardiothoracic Intensive Care
  • Refractory Angina Pectoris
  • Cardiothoracic Transplantation

Research Trials

  • LIFEGUARDS Trial
  • MiniStern Trial
  • Factor VII and Factor XIII post-cardiotomy Trials

Publications

  1. Groenewoud R, Gunning D, Fava C, Sharpe R, Valchanov K, and Shayan H. Successful Thrombolysis of Early Bioprosthetic Mitral Valve Thrombosis Following Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation. Perfusion, 2023;0(0). doi:10.1177/02676591231157200
  2. Ignatov G, Ng CY, Tan Z, Velchev V, Kurkchieva T, Whitbread J, Valchanov KP. Early experience with Pulmonary Endarterectomy in Bulgaraia – Case series. Ann Transl Med 2023, 11(5): 216. Doi: 10.21037/atm-22-4370
  3. Ruiz J, Foglia J, Valchanov K, Gill N. A case of intra-operative anaphylaxis to latex in a pulmonary artery catheter. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2022, 129 (5): S98
  4. Long E, Ruiz JC, Foglia J, Valchanov K, Meikle A. Recognition, treatment, and prevention of perioperative anaphylaxis: a narrative review. AIMS Medical Science 2022, 9 (1): 32-50
  5. Alvarez-Villegas, D, Gimenez-Mila M, Sbraga F, Camprubi I, Gil A, Valchanov K, Shayan H, Castillo J, Weiner MM. Dealing with the Right Side: Carcinoid Heart Disease. J Cardiovasc Thorac Anesth 2021, doi.org/10.1053/j.jvca.2021.10.030
  6. Valchanov, K., Martinez, G., Valchanova, A. (2022). Anaesthesia and Intensive Care for Adult Patients Undergoing Aortic Arch Surgery. In: Vives, M., Hernandez, A. (eds) Cardiac Anesthesia and Postoperative Care in the 21st Century. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79721-8_18
  7. Valchanov K. Transplant chapter in The Trainee Handbook 2021 published by the Association of Anaesthetists. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21466/g.TH2.2021, published July 2021
  8. Marczin N, de Waal EEC, Hopkins PMA, et al (including Valchanov K). International Consensus Recommendations for Anaesthetic and Intensive care Management of Lung Transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant 2021, 40 (11): 1327-1348
  9. Valchanov K, Tan, Z, Valchanova A. Medical and Interventional Treatment of Refractory Angina. J Cardiovasc Disorders 2021, 7 (2): 1048
  10. Protopapas AD, Valchanov K, Catarino P, Zochios V. Neuroprotection and Aorta: One System, One Artery, One Expectation, One Team. Invited Editorial. J Cardiovasc Thorac Anesth 2021, 35 (4), 1189-1191
  11. COVIDTrach (including Valchanov K). The Outcomes of Mechanically Ventilated COVID-19 Patients undergoing Tracheostomy in UK: Interim Report. B J Sur 2020, 107, e583-e584
  12. Valchanov K, Krishnan U, Hoole SP, Davies WR, Pettit S, Jones N, Parmar J, Catarino P, Osman M, Berman M. COVID-19 Patient with Coronary Thrombosis supported with ECMO and Impella 5.0 Assist Device. Eur Heart J – Case Reports 2020; 4(6): 1–6
  13. Gimenez M, Videla S, Pallares N, Sabate A, Parmar J, Catarino P, Tosh W, Rafiq MU, Nalpon J, Valchanov K. Impact of Surgical Technique and Analgesia on Clinical Outcomes after Lung Transplantation: A Strobe-Compliant Cohort Study. Medicine 2020; 99 (46): e22427
  14. Rafiq MU, Valchanov K, Vuylsteke A, Taghavi FJ, Iyer SB, Sudarshan CD, Fowles J-A, Anderson S, Govender P, Holmes M, White A, Mishra A, Mwaura L, Jenkins D. Regional extra-corporal membrane oxygenation retrieval service in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 pandemic: an interdisciplinary team approach to maintain service provision despite increased demand. Eur J Cardiothorac Sur 2020, 58 (5), 875-880
  15. Valchanov K. Perioperative Management of Patients with undergoing Mechanical Circulatory Support. Editorial. Annals of Translational Medicine 2020, 8(13): 826
  16. Mwara L, Ripoll B, Valchanov K, Nashef SAM. Cardiac Surgery in Nonagenarians: An Institutional 20 Year Experience. Am J Sur Clin Case Reports 2020; V1(4): 1-4
  17. Valchanov K, Salaunkey K, Parmar J. Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheostomy in COVID-19 ECMO Patients: A Case Series. J Cardiohorac Vasc Anesth 2020, 35 (1), 348
  18. Pieterse J, Valchanov K, Abu-Omar Y, Falter F. Thrombotic risk in central venoarterial membrane oxygenation post cardiac surgery. Perfusion 2020, 36 (1), 50-56
  19. Patterson C, Valchanov K, Barker A, Goddard M, Yang H, Butchard AG. Severe ARDS requiring ECMO – a Consequence of Vaping. Eur Resp J Open Research 2020; 6: 00013-2020
  20. Valchanov K and Mishra A. Spinal Cord Stimulation for Refractory Angina Pectoris: A Narrative Review. SOJ Anesthesiology and Pain Management 2019, www.symbiosisonlinepublishing.com ISSN Online: 2374-684X 
  21. Schmidt M et al., including Valchanov K. Mechanical Ventilation Management during Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome an International Multicentre Prospective Cohort. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2019, 200 (8); 1002-1012
  22. Tan Z, Nalpon J, Valchanov K. Case Series of Left Stellate Ganglion Blocks for Refractory Angina Pectoris: 14 year later and still efficacious. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 2019, 58 (3): 11-14
  23. Tan Z, Ng CY, Jenkins D, Barrow L, Valchanov K. De-prescribing practices for anticonvulsants after benign seizures secondary to high dose tranexamic acid in a single large UK cardiothoracic centre. European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy 2019, 27 (6), 337-340
  24. Volpi S, Sertic F, Valchanov K, De Silva R. Use veno-venous extra corporeal membrane oxygenation in elderly patients with post-cardiotomy hypoxia: the changing paradigm of respiratory support in adult respiratory distress syndrome. Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery 2019 14:10
  25. Oscier C, Falter F, de Silva RD, Valchanov K. Three consecutive cases of fatal intraoperative intracardiac thrombosis associated with the initiation of VA ECMO in the presence of aprotinin. Perfusion 2019; 34 (5); 417-421
  26. Tan Z, Valchanov K, Klein A. Complications in aortic surgery: are the CSF drains to be blamed? Comment on Br J Anesth 2018; 120: 904-914
  27. Nair SK, Sudarshan CD, Thorpe BS, Singh J, Pillay T, Catarino P, Valchanov K, Codispoti M, Dunning J, Abu-Omar Y, Moorjani N, Matthews C, Freeman CJ, Fox-Rushby A, Sharples L. Mini-Stern Trial: A randomized trial comparing mini-sternotomy to full median sternotomy for aortic valve replacement. J Thorc Cardiovasc Surg 2018, 156: 2024-2032
  28. Aneman A, Brechot N, Brodie D, Colreavy F, Fraser J, Gomersall C, McCanny P, Moller-Sorensen PH, Takala J, Valchanov K, Vallely M. Advances in Critical Care Management of Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery. Intensive Care Medicine 2018, 44: 799-810
  29. Valchanov K, Falter F, George S, Burt C, Roscoe A, Ng C, Besser M, Nasser S. Three case reports of anaphylaxis to protamine: Management of anticoagulation reversal. J Thorac Cardiothorac Anesth 2018, 3: 13
  30. Rubino A, Costanzo C, Stanszus D, Valchanov K, Jenkins D, Sertic F, Fowles JA, Vuylsteke A. Central Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (C-VA-ECMO) after cardiothoracic surgery: a single centre experience. J Thorac Cardiothorac Anesth 2018, 32: 1169-74
  31. Valchanov K and Sturgess J. Complications: an anaesthetist’s rather than a surgeon’s notes. Anaesthesia 2018, 73, Suppl 1: 3-6
  32. Messer S, Page A, Axell S, Colah S, Hernandez-Sanchez J, Parizkova B, Valchanov K, Dunning J, Parameshwar J, Lewis C, Abu Omar Y, Pettit S, Kydd A, Jenkins D, Sudarshan C, Catarino P, Berman M, Findlay M, Ali A, Tsui S, Large SR. The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation 2017; 4: S15-S16
  33. Kruit N, Valchanov K, Fowles JA, Vuylsteke A. Bleeding complications associated with percutaneous tracheostomy insertion in patients supported with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygen support. J Thorac Cardiothorac Anesth 2017, 32: 1162-1166
  34. G. Blaudszun, A. Vuylsteke, C. Gerard, V. Zochios, D. Jenkins, K. Valchanov. Patients Discharged from Intensive Care on Dopamine Infusion – A Retrospective Observations Study. J Thorac Cardiothorac Anesth 2017, 31: 1676-1680
  35. Prabhu M and Valchanov K. Pre-anaesthetic evaluation of the patient with end-stage lung disease. Best Practice and Research Clinical Anaesthesiology 2017, 31:249-260
  36. Kruit N, Valchanov K, Fowles J-A, Vuylsteke A. Analysis of bleeding complications associated with percutaneous tracheostomy insertion in patients on VV ECMO support over a 10-year period. European J Heart Failure 2017, 5: 1
  37. Valchanov K. Suturing central venous catheters. Br J Anaesthesia 2017, 18: 805
  38. Chin JWE and Valchanov K. Pharmacological Management of Post-thoracotomy Pain. World Journal of Anaesthesa 2016; 3: 255-264
  39. Blaskovics Y, Valchanov K. Anaesthesia for patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia. World J Anesthesiol, 2016; 5: 44-53
  40. Pavlushkov E, Berman M, Valchanov K. ECMO Cannulation Techniques. Annals of Translational Medicine 2017, 5: 70
  41. Padvarthan C, Valchanov K. Oxygenator Failure in a Patient with ARDS and Acute Myeloid Leukaemia: A case report. Perfusion 2016, 32: 333-335
  42. Gomes B, Valchanov K, Davies W, Brown A, Schofield PM. Spinal Cord Stimulation for Refractory Angina: 100 case-experience from the National Refractory Angina Service. Brit J Cardiol 2016, 23: 106-109 
  43. Messer S, Axell R, Colah S, White P, Page A, Parizkova B, Valchanov K, Dunning J, Parameshwar J, Ali A, Tsui S, Large S. Functional assessment of the donor heart following circulatory death and clinical transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant 2016, 35: S79-S80
  44. Giménez-Milà M, Videla S, Jenkins D, Klein A, Gerrard C, Nalpon J, Valchanov K. Acute pain, and analgesic requirements after pulmonary endarterectomy with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. J Cardiovasc Thorac Anesth 2016, 30: 993-996
  45. Parhar K, Parizkova B, Jones N, Valchanov K, Fowles J-A, Besser M, Telfer P, Kaya B, Vuylsteke A and Rubino A. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for the treatment of adult sickle cell acute chest syndrome. Perfusion 2015, 31: 262-265
  46. Gopalan D, Valchanov K. Respiratory ECMO: Benefits beyond gas exchange. International Journal of Advances in Case Reports 2015, 2: 575-577 
  47. Zochios V, Protopapas A, Valchanov K. Stridor in adult patients presenting from the community: an alarming clinical sign. J Intensive Care Sosiety 2015; 16: 272-273
  48. Zochios V and Valchanov K. Raised cardiac troponin in intensive care patients with sepsis, in the absence of angiographically documented coronary artery disease. J Intensive Care Society 2015; 16: 52-57
  49. Rubino A, Vuylsteke A, Jenkins D, Fowles J-A, Hockins L, Valchanov K. Direct complications of Avalon dual lumen cannula use in adult respiratory ECMO patients: a single centre experience. Int J Artif Organs 2014, 37: 741-747
  50. Valchanov K, Ercole A, Fowles J-A, Parmar J, Gopalan D. Veno-venous ECMO for fat embolism. Journal of Medical Cases 2914; 5: 488-490 
  51. Rubino A, Vuylsteke A, Jenkins D, Fowles J-A, Valchanov K. Direct complications of Avalon dual lumen cannula use in adult respiratory ECMO patients: a single center experience. Int J Artif Organs 2013; 36: 292
  52. Valchanov K, Goddard M, Ghosh S. Anesthesia for Heart Transplantation in Patients with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia: A Case Series. J Cardiovasc Thorac Anesth 2014; 28: 355-357
  53. Valchanov K. Assessment and management of circulatory failure. APICE 25th Masterclass. Editor: Antonino Gullo. Springer 2013: 23-38
  54. Salaunkey K, Parameshwar J, Valchanov K, Vuylsteke A. Mechanical support for heart failure. J Int Care Society 2013; 14: 220-225
  55. Kohler K, Valchanov K, Nias G, Vuylsteke A. ECMO Cannulation. Perfusion 2013, 28:114-124
  56. Valchanov K, Ghosh S. Perioperative management of hereditary arrhythmogenic syndromes. Letter to the editor. Br J Anaesth 2012; 108: 730-744 
  57. Valchanov K, Klein A. Preoperative assessment of the surgical patient. Foundation Years Journal 2012
  58. Brown A. Davies W, Davis L, Broughton N, Valchanov K, Schofield P. Long Term Reduction in Symptoms for Refractory Angina by Spinal Cord Stimulation. Anesth Analg 2012; 114(suppl); 1-94
  59. Valchanov K, Arrowsmith JE. Do venodilators have a role in the perioperative management of heart failure? Eur J Anesth 2012, 29:121-128
  60. Mydin M, Berman M, Klein A, Tsui S, Dunning J, Valchanov K, Vuylsteke A, Jenkins D. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation as a bridge to Pulmonary Endarterectomy. Ann Thorac Surg 2011; 92: e101-e103
  61. Ashworth A. and Valchanov K. Antidysrhytmmics. Chapter in Core Topics in Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia. Cambridge University Press 2012
  62. Broughton N, Brown A, Davies W, Valchanov K, Schofield P. Spinal Cord Stimulators reduce symptoms in refractory angina pectoris at long-term follow up. Anaesthesia 2012; 67: 203
  63. Hung M, Vuylsteke A, Valchanov K. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: coming to an ITU near you. Journal of the Intensive Care Society 2012; 13: 2-9
  64. Martinez G, Valchanov K. Infective Endocarditis. Review. CPED BJA 2012
  65. Valchanov K, Kneeshaw J. TOE reporting. Chapter in Core Topics in Transoesophageal Echocardiography 2010. Cambridge University Press
  66. Hallward G, Valchanov K. An unexpected pre-operative diagnosis. Eur J Echo 2010; 11: 89-90
  67. Veenith, Sharples L, Gerrard C, Valchanov K, Vuylsteke A. Survival and length of stay following blood transfusion in octogenarians following cardiac surgery. Anaesthesia 2010; 65: 331-336
  68. Saravanan P, Exley AR, Valchanov K, Casey ND, Falter F. Impact of xenon anaesthesia in isolated cardiopulmonary bypass on very early leucocyte and platelet activation and clearance: A randomised, controlled study. BJA 2010; 103: 805-810
  69. Mackenzie IS, Cartwright N, Mitchell C, Gurnell M, Brown M, Chatterjee VK, Jamieson NV, Valchanov K, Nashef SAM, Simpson HL. Management of pheochromocytoma in the presence of critical coronary artery disease. J Human Hypertension 2008; 22: S15
  70. Valchanov K, Wells F. You can love it so much. Case report. Eur J Echo 2008; 9:726
  71. Steel A, Valchanov K. Preoperative investigation of the surgical patient. Surgery 2008; 9: 363-368
  72. Valchanov K, Parameshwar J. Management of the heart failure inpatients. Review. CPED BJA September 2008; 8: 167-171
  73. Valchanov K, Vuylsteke A. Anaesthesia for pulmonary endarterectomy. Core Topics in Thoracic Anaesthesia 2009; 99-104. Chapter
  74. Runnels S, Valchanov K, Hall R. Echocardiography and ultrasound. Chapter in Core Topics in Cardiothoracic Critical Care 2008; 103-107
  75. Valchanov K, Ghosh S. Management after thoracic surgery. Chapter in Core Topics in Cardiothoracic Critical Care 2008; 384-389
  76. Valchanov K, Falter F. Methylene Blue for CPB. Letter. Anesth Analg 2007; 104:1296
  77. Atanassova P, Tonchev AB, Peneva VN, Chaldakov GN, Valchanov KP, Fiore M, Aloe L. What are subcutaneous adipocytes really good for…? Experimental Dermatology 2007; 16: 56-59
  78. Valchanov K, Vuylsteke A. Pulmonary Endarterectomy. Review. Eur J Anaesthesia 2006; 23:815-823
  79. Cook AC, Valchanov KP, Oosthuysen SA. Psoas sheath block for providing analgesia for iliac crest donor site pain. Acute Pain 2004; 6:79-81
  80. Valchanov K, Peter P, Macanovic M, Taylor J. An unusual cause of acute renal failure: Urethral stricture in female. Nephron 2001; 87: 89-90 
  81. Valchanov K, Proctor G. Enzyme-histochemistry of tryptase in stomach mucosal mast cells of the mouse. J Histochem and Cytochem 1999; 47: 617-22
  82. Valchanov K, Proctor G, Hartley R, Patherson K, Shori D. Enzyme-histochemistry of rat mast cell tryptase. Histochem J 1998; 30:97-103
  83. Tonchev A, Valchanov K, Pancheva R, Chaldakov G. Lipopolysaccharide-induced mast cell proliferation in the skin of the rat: prevention by pentoxifylline. Ann Anat 1997; 179:196
  84. Chaldakov G, Valchanov K, Ghenev P. Role of adventitia in vascular remodelling in hypertension: a trophobiologic view. Biomed Rev 1996; 6: 5-10
  85. Valchanov K, Tonchev A, Sulaiman O, Chaldakov G. Leydig cell-immune cell interaction: an example of neuroendocrine-immune communication. Editorial. Biomed Rev 1996; 6:1-4
  86. Valchanov K, Tonchev A, Pancheva R, Andonov M, Ghenev P, Chaldakov G. Cardiac mast cell proliferation: response to estradiol treatment of neonatal rats. Eur J Morphol 1997; 35:65 
  87. Ghenev P, Valchanov K, Tonchev A, Pancheva R, Chaldakov G. Neural-immune links: an emerging concept of adventitial role in atherogenesis. Ann Proc IMAB 1996; 2:172-173
  88. Chaldakov G, Valchanov K, Tonchev A. Neural-immune-effector trophobiology: Possible implications in psychology of the allergic patient. Allergy 1995; 50:775-776
  89. Chaldakov G, Ghenev P, Valchanov K, Tonchev A, Pancheva R. Nerve-mast cell-nerve growth factor link: the mast cell as a Yin-Yang modulator in inflammation and fibrosis. Biomed Rev 1995; 4:1-6
  90. Chaldakov G, Valchanov K, Tonchev A, Ghenev P. The association of mast cells in atherosclerosis: new insights into mast cells in atherogenesis. Hum Pathol 1995; 26:1286
  91. Chaldakov G, Ghenev P, Andonov M, Valchanov K, Tonchev A, Pancheva R. Neural-immune- effector (NIE) crosstalk in vascular trophobiology: proposal for new and not yet exploited purinergic regulatory mechanisms. Biomed Rev 1994; 3: 81-86
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