NIMS Hyderabad Doctors Treat Rare Heart Rhythm Disorder Free Under Aarogyasri

Doctors at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad have successfully treated a complex heart rhythm disorder in a 30-year-old man using advanced three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping and radiofrequency ablation. The advanced medical procedure was performed entirely free of cost under the state government's Aarogyasri scheme.

The patient had been suffering from chest pain and breathlessness on exertion for two years. Medical investigations conducted across multiple hospitals initially diagnosed him with frequent ventricular premature contractions (VPCs), a condition involving extra heartbeats that originate from the heart's lower chambers.

As the patient's condition worsened over time, a cardiac MRI revealed that his left ventricle had become enlarged and was no longer pumping blood normally. Doctors had advised him to undergo an electrophysiological study (EPS) alongside radiofrequency ablation (RFA), a minimally invasive procedure designed to destroy the specific area of heart tissue causing the abnormal electrical activity. However, faced with financial constraints, the patient approached NIMS for treatment.

At NIMS, Dr. O. Sai Satish, Senior Professor of Cardiology, evaluated the patient. A Holter monitor test confirmed an extremely high burden of abnormal heartbeats, prompting the medical team to proceed with the EPS and RFA interventions using 3D electroanatomical mapping. The specialized mapping technology created a three-dimensional model of the heart’s electrical activity to pinpoint the exact origin of the irregular rhythm.

The mapping process successfully located the abnormal electrical focus just below the left coronary cusp of the aortic valve, positioned close to the left coronary artery. Cardiologists carefully ablated the abnormal focus responsible for the VPCs and ventricular tachycardia without causing any damage to the surrounding coronary artery or aortic valve.

Following the intervention, the patient recovered without experiencing any complications. Post-procedure evaluations, including ECG and Holter monitoring, showed complete suppression of the ventricular premature contractions and confirmed a successful return to a normal heart rhythm.