Kookal Ramunni Krishnan
Encyclopedia
Kookal Ramunni Krishnan (KR Krishnan) (1929 – 1999) born in a Nair
family in Kerala
, was an India
n physician. He was former director of Southport Regional Spinal Injuries Centre in Southport
, United Kingdom
, a lecturer in the department of neurological science at University of Liverpool
, and visiting professor of rehabilitation at University of Salford
. He is credited with pioneering the spinal injuries service at Southport.
Dr. Krishnan worked for a time with Sir Ludwig Guttmann
and he developed his interest in spinal cord injury
(SCI) then. Dr. Krishnan spent 30 years working with, and for, those with SCI and was an internationally respected clinician, researcher and advocate in the field. He made many notable contributions to the field of SCI authoring almost 100 peer reviewed publications and numerous book chapters. He co-authored of one of the widely cited clinical algorithm for the urological management of spinal cord damaged patients. He did notable work on long term impact of patients with spinal cord injury. Dr. Krishnan was a key member of a fifty year investigation examining long-term survival in a population-based sample of spinal cord injury (SCI) survivors in Great Britain, a study that identified risk factors contributing to deaths and explored trends in cause of death over the decades following spinal cord injury. His paper on 20 year outcomes of persons with spinal cord injury is highlighted as one of the most important papers on the clinical practice committee suggested reading list of the American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Psychologists and Social Workers.
Dr. Krishnan was also a known as an advocate for patients with Spinal Cord Injury; as a member of the SCI Consensus group, a multinational group of clinicians and researchers, he assessed health-related quality of the life (HRQL) for SCI patients and available instruments for its measurement. He was also the president of the CALIES Network (Computer-Aided Locomotion by Implanted Electro-Stimulation), a pan-European non-profit organization of rehabilitation centres focusing on pioneering mobility using implanted muscle stimulation. At the time of his death, he was writing a book on tetraplegic ventilatory management.
Dr. Krishnan was known for his ability to remember the names of patients and their families years after he treated them. In retirement, he had begun to spend more time in his garden and he also had a reputation an excellent cook and host. He is survived by his wife, Patsy; a son; and a daughter.
Dr. Krishnan received his medical degree MBBS
from Chennai
in 1951. Later, he also received his FRCS. Dr. Kookal's sister Dr. Devaki Kutty Mataji was a Professor of Medicine at King Georges' Medical College, Lucknow
, India
.
Nair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
family in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, was an India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n physician. He was former director of Southport Regional Spinal Injuries Centre in Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, a lecturer in the department of neurological science at University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
, and visiting professor of rehabilitation at University of Salford
University of Salford
The University of Salford is a campus university based in Salford, Greater Manchester, England with approximately 20,000 registered students. The main campus is about west of Manchester city centre, on the A6, opposite the former home of the physicist, James Prescott Joule and the Working Class...
. He is credited with pioneering the spinal injuries service at Southport.
Dr. Krishnan worked for a time with Sir Ludwig Guttmann
Ludwig Guttmann
Sir Ludwig "Poppa" Guttmann CBE, FRS was a German neurologist who founded the Paralympic Games while living in England, and is considered one of the founding fathers of organized physical activities for people with a disability....
and he developed his interest in spinal cord injury
Spinal cord injury
A spinal cord injury refers to any injury to the spinal cord that is caused by trauma instead of disease. Depending on where the spinal cord and nerve roots are damaged, the symptoms can vary widely, from pain to paralysis to incontinence...
(SCI) then. Dr. Krishnan spent 30 years working with, and for, those with SCI and was an internationally respected clinician, researcher and advocate in the field. He made many notable contributions to the field of SCI authoring almost 100 peer reviewed publications and numerous book chapters. He co-authored of one of the widely cited clinical algorithm for the urological management of spinal cord damaged patients. He did notable work on long term impact of patients with spinal cord injury. Dr. Krishnan was a key member of a fifty year investigation examining long-term survival in a population-based sample of spinal cord injury (SCI) survivors in Great Britain, a study that identified risk factors contributing to deaths and explored trends in cause of death over the decades following spinal cord injury. His paper on 20 year outcomes of persons with spinal cord injury is highlighted as one of the most important papers on the clinical practice committee suggested reading list of the American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Psychologists and Social Workers.
Dr. Krishnan was also a known as an advocate for patients with Spinal Cord Injury; as a member of the SCI Consensus group, a multinational group of clinicians and researchers, he assessed health-related quality of the life (HRQL) for SCI patients and available instruments for its measurement. He was also the president of the CALIES Network (Computer-Aided Locomotion by Implanted Electro-Stimulation), a pan-European non-profit organization of rehabilitation centres focusing on pioneering mobility using implanted muscle stimulation. At the time of his death, he was writing a book on tetraplegic ventilatory management.
Dr. Krishnan was known for his ability to remember the names of patients and their families years after he treated them. In retirement, he had begun to spend more time in his garden and he also had a reputation an excellent cook and host. He is survived by his wife, Patsy; a son; and a daughter.
Dr. Krishnan received his medical degree MBBS
MBBS
MBBS was a popular BBS system in the Nordic countries during the mid-1990s. It was created by a team of Oslo-based enthusiasts, led by Mike Robertson. As many BBS systems of that era, it was only available for the DOS platform. Since one process could only handle one node, multitaskers such as...
from Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
in 1951. Later, he also received his FRCS. Dr. Kookal's sister Dr. Devaki Kutty Mataji was a Professor of Medicine at King Georges' Medical College, Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.