Dr. Vivek Kakar

Dr. Vivek Kakar is a Staff Physician in the Critical Care Department at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. He is a specialist in anesthesia and critical care registered with the UK's General Medical Council. Before joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, he was a consultant at King's College Hospital in London, where he managed critically ill patients, handled major trauma cases, and led extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) — a life-support technique for patients whose heart or lungs have failed.

Dr. Kakar trained in internal medicine in India before moving to the UK to specialise in anaesthesia and intensive care at major teaching hospitals including Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital in London. He holds an International Diploma in ECMO from La Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris, giving him expertise in this complex organ-support technology. His clinical interests centre on cardiopulmonary critical care, anaesthesia for major abdominal surgery, heart imaging with ultrasound, and ECMO delivery.

Beyond clinical care, he is actively involved in education and training. He teaches focused cardiac ultrasound through the FEEL-UK programme and advanced resuscitation courses with the UK Resuscitation Council. He also holds a Master's degree in Medical Ethics and Law, and regularly teaches residents about decision-making in critical situations. He has led governance and risk initiatives in critical care.