In 1988, Dr. Kirk Kanter was part of the Emory surgical team that performed Georgia's first domino heart transplant. That same year, he performed the state's first pediatric heart transplant at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston. In 1993, he performed Georgia's first lung transplant. He was appointed Egleston's chief of cardiothoracic surgery as well as director of the heart and lung transplant program in 1998. Under Dr. Kanter's guidance, Egleston began offering the Stage 1 Norwood procedure for hypoplastic left heart syndrome in 2000; by 2005, the service was achieving some of the best outcomes with the procedure in the country. In 2008, he performed the first pediatric Berlin Heart surgery in Georgia. In 1988, Dr. Kirk Kanter was part of the Emory surgical team that performed Georgia's first domino heart transplant. That same year, he performed the state's first pediatric heart transplant at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston. In 1993, he performed Georgia's first lung transplant. He was appointed Egleston's chief of cardiothoracic surgery as well as director of the heart and lung transplant program in 1998. Under Dr. Kanter's guidance, Egleston began offering the Stage 1 Norwood procedure for hypoplastic left heart syndrome in 2000; by 2005, the service was achieving some of the best outcomes with the procedure in the country. In 2008, he performed the first pediatric Berlin Heart surgery in Georgia.

Cardiac assistance and replacement The surgical management of congenital heart disease with an emphasis on early correction in infancy Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for the management of postoperative cardiac failure in infants Mechanical circulatory assistance