For 10 years, 53-year-old Baaskaran Subramaniam suffered from palpitation and dizziness, which made him tense and angry. A family member said he had speech difficulty.

Mr. Baaskaran, a Malaysian resident, was suffering from arrhythmia, irregular rhythm of the heart. With no drugs yet to treat the condition, doctors rely on the conventional method of radiofrequency ablation.

Though accurate, the method exposes patients to irradiation.

Ulhas M. Pandurangi, chief of cardiac electrophysiology and pacing, arrhythmia-heart failure academy, Madras Medical Mission, opted for a new method of 3D electroanatomical mapping of the heart. The method dispensed with fleuroscopy and use of defibrillators.

“In the conventional radiofrequency ablation, we have to insert several catheters. It was like exploring inside the heart blindly. But the new method allows us to make just two incisions in the groin to insert two catheters. On contact, the image of the heart rhythm pattern is visible on the monitor and the physician can guide the catheter towards where the electrical impulse is created,” he explained.

“It is an experience to be able to go into the heart and find the exact place where the electric impulse is created,” he said. The Ensite Precision cardiac mapping system allows for a high level of automation, flexibility and precision that helps cardiologists to effectively diagnose a wide range of arrhythmias.

Dr. Pandurangi said the therapy is curative and the patient does not require medication post-procedure. It also reduces cost for the patient as using defibrillator could set back the patient by ₹7 lakh.

Mr. Baaskaran, who underwent the procedure two days ago, said the treatment cost of ₹4.8 lakh was covered by the insurance company in Malaysia.

During its meeting, the Tamil Nadu Electrophysiology Council had resolved that some of the therapies be covered under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Insurance Scheme, Dr. Pandurangi said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Tamil Nadu / by Special Correspondent / Chennai – June 17th, 2017