Specialised Cardiac Programmes Exclusively for High-Risk Interventions

Positioning itself as a centre of excellence in advanced cardiac interventions, Kauvery Heart Institute at Kauvery Hospital, Radial Road, has launched Complex High-Risk Indicated Procedures (CHIP), a set of specialised cardiac programmes aimed at managing some of the most complex and high-risk heart conditions. The initiative focuses on treating critically ill patients, including those presenting with severe heart attacks, advanced heart failure, and cardiogenic shock, through a comprehensive approach that combines cutting-edge technology, multidisciplinary expertise, and timely emergency care. The Centre of Excellence for CHIP features a highly coordinated multidisciplinary team comprising interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, cardiac anaesthetists, and critical care specialists who work together using structured protocols to ensure rapid decision-making and treatment. In his comments, Prof. Ajith Pillai, Chief Cardiologist at Kauvery, said that many of the patients arrive in a critical condition, sometimes at the edge of survival, due to an acute trigger such as a massive heart attack or long-standing heart disease that had previously gone undetected. “When a critically ill patient arrives, the team is able to assess the condition and initiate treatment within 10-15 minutes, enabling timely life-saving interventions. In many cases, advanced mechanical circulatory support devices such as ECMO and micro-axial cardiac pumps are used to temporarily support the heart while complex cardiac procedures are performed. We adopt a team-based approach similar to the models existing in leading cardiac hospitals in the USA and Europe.” He added that through the coordinated approach and advanced technology, Kauvery has successfully turned around many near-fatal cardiac emergencies, offering new hope to patients who otherwise had very limited chances of survival. In one instance, a middle-aged woman with acute severe breathlessness due to a leaking heart valve was stabilised and treated with an emergency MitraClip procedure, leading to rapid recovery. In another case, an 85-year-old woman with critical valve narrowing underwent Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) along with pacemaker implantation, enabling her to regain comfortable daily function. The hospital has also saved a 65-year-old man presenting with a major heart attack and multiple blocked arteries. He was treated with a complex angioplasty supported by an Impella heart pump, resulting in restoration of blood flow and gradual recovery of heart function. In his comments, Dr Aravindan Selvaraj, Executive Director, Kauvery Group of Hospitals, added, “Treating patients who arrive at the hospital in an extremely critical condition involves timely intervention, clinical expertise, and close coordination across specialties. The adoption of CHIP reflects our commitment to bringing global standards of cardiac care closer to patients. By integrating advanced technology, multidisciplinary expertise, and robust systems of care, we aim to improve outcomes, particularly in high-risk and emergency cases.”