Ms Louise Kenny

Louise Kenny is a consultant paediatric and adult congenital cardiac surgeon whose practice spans the full spectrum of congenital heart and lung surgery. Her clinical expertise covers all ages from complex neonatal to adult congenital and includes mechanical circulatory support, and heart and lung transplantation.

She graduated from Newcastle University Medical School in 2007 and undertook her cardiothoracic training across the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. She spent six formative years under the tutelage of Asif Hasan at the Freeman Hospital, developing expertise in paediatric and congenital cardiac surgery. During her training she was awarded the McCormack Medal, recognising exceptional performance in cardiothoracic surgical examinations.

Louise completed her subspecialty paediatric cardiac surgery fellowship at the Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane, where she refined her skills in neonatal and infant cardiac surgery and complex congenital reconstruction. She also holds a Master’s degree in Global Surgery, reflecting her commitment to equitable access to cardiac care and the development of sustainable transplant systems worldwide.

In 2021 she returned to Newcastle as a consultant, where she now undertakes the full breadth of neonatal, paediatric and adult congenital heart and lung surgery, including the Ross procedure, PEARS external aortic support, transplantation and mechanical support.

Her research focuses on expanding opportunities for children awaiting heart transplantation. She is the leading investigator in paediatric donation‑after‑circulatory‑death (DCD), with work spanning donor physiology, ethical frameworks, and outcome optimisation. Her portfolio includes innovations aimed at increasing the donor pool for children, including hypothermic preservation technologies, ex‑situ perfusion, and improved assessment of marginal organs. She has also contributed to understanding and predicting primary graft dysfunction, refining perfusion strategies, and developing systems‑level approaches to reduce waiting‑list mortality.

Louise is recognised for her collaborative leadership, her commitment to innovation, and her determination to improve outcomes for children and adults living with congenital heart disease.