News

An Innovative Cardiac Procedure Grants New Lease of Life to Elderly Patient

Apr 30, 2025

Mangaluru, April 26, 2025

A team of expert doctors from the Department of Cardiology at Father Muller Medical College Hospital (FMMCH) successfully performed a rare and innovative cardiac procedure, offering a new lease of life to a 69-year-old patient suffering from a critical heart condition.

The patient, a resident of Honnavara in Uttara Kannada district, had presented with acute chest pain and severe breathing difficulty. He consulted Dr H. Prabhakar, Chief Interventional Cardiologist at FMMCH, on April 23, 2025, with a history of previous coronary artery bypass graft surgery performed 10 years ago. Clinical examination and investigations revealed the presence of three severe calcium deposits in the coronary artery, significantly restricting blood flow. Given his prior surgery, a repeat bypass was deemed highly risky and inadvisable.

Recognizing the urgency and complexity of the case, Dr Prabhakar, along with Dr Pradeep Pereira and Dr Jostol Pinto, Interventional Cardiologists at FMMCH, promptly admitted the patient and meticulously planned an advanced, minimally invasive intervention. The team employed a cutting-edge procedure known as Orbital Atherectomy, a first for the hospital. This innovative technique was used to successfully remove the calcified blockages, thereby restoring normal blood circulation. Following this, two stents were placed to maintain vessel patency and prevent future complications.

The life-saving procedure lasted approximately one and a half hours and was completed without complications. The patient responded positively, made a full recovery, and was discharged in a stable and healthy condition.

Rev. Fr Richard Aloysius Coelho, Director of Father Muller Charitable Institutions, congratulated the medical team on their exemplary achievement. He noted that the hospital continues to advance with emerging trends and technologies in the healthcare sector, reaffirming its commitment to excellence in patient care.