Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Nov 27: In yet another breakthrough in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, Indiana Hospital and Heart Institute, Mangaluru, has introduced laser angioplasty for its patients, marking a first in the coastal districts of Karnataka. Demonstrating its commitment to embracing advanced medical technologies, the hospital continues to lead the way in cardiology by pioneering innovative procedures and setting several state and district benchmarks in cardiovascular care.
Traditionally, bypass surgery was the only treatment option for most types of heart blocks. However, with advances in technology, including stenting and other interventional cardiology procedures, only about 10% of patients now require bypass surgery. With the introduction of laser angioplasty at Indiana Hospital, cardiovascular care is set for further advancement. Many cases that once required bypass surgery can now be managed with minimally invasive, day-care procedures such as laser angioplasty.
Laser angioplasty uses a specialised catheter that emits high-energy ultraviolet laser beams to vaporise plaque and blood clots within arteries. According to Dr Yusuf Kumble, managing director of Indiana Hospital and chief interventional cardiologist, this latest cardiac care technology enables highly precise treatment with minimal damage to the healthy tissues surrounding arterial blockages. It is particularly effective in managing complex or calcified lesions and offers significant benefits over conventional balloon angioplasty.
Dr Yusuf further explains that laser angioplasty delivers higher success rates and better outcomes in difficult cardiac interventions. It has shown remarkable improvement in cases of in-stent restenosis, often eliminating the need to implant an additional stent. The technique is especially valuable for thrombotic lesions during percutaneous coronary intervention in acute myocardial infarction and acute coronary syndromes. It also plays an essential role in angioplasty for under-expanded stents and enables modification of the proximal cap of calcified lesions that are otherwise difficult to cross with a wire.
The same approach is also effective in clearing blockages in peripheral arteries, carotid vessels and other vascular regions, and is a critical tool in removing previously implanted pacemaker leads.
Dr Yusuf Kumble believes that laser angioplasty has the potential to become a frontline option for cardiac care in India, particularly for patients seeking faster recovery and safer outcomes. The procedure is minimally invasive, reduces the risk of complications, ensures quicker healing and proves highly effective even in hard-to-treat arterial blockages, making it a promising advancement in contemporary cardiovascular treatment.
Indiana Hospital has a distinguished record of clinical milestones. Dr Yusuf Kumble and his team performed the first OCT implantation, the first paediatric procedure for aortic stenosis on a one-year-old baby and the first valve-in-valve procedure in the region. In one of its most remarkable achievements, the team performed an aortic valvotomy on a 12-hour-old newborn, saving the infant’s life.
Further reinforcing its leadership in advanced cardiovascular care, Indiana Hospital carried out coastal Karnataka’s first Trans-catheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVI/TAVR) in 2019, followed by one of the state’s rare percutaneous Mitral Valve Replacement (Valve-in-Valve) procedures in 2020.