KMC has achieved a milestone through applying radial intervention technique in the field of heart surgery, said KMC senior cardiologist Dr Yusuf Kumble.

Speaking at a press meet here on Monday, he said the invention of this technique has proved to be a new dawn in the field of interventional cardiology. KMC has conducted over 673 radial procedures successfully last year and it is the only hospital in Karnataka to adopt the procedure, Dr Yusuf claimed. Radial intervention is conducted only in few centres in India, he informed.

Earlier, coronary angioplasty (removal of block in the heart without surgery) was done by passing catheters and wires through femoral artery. During this surgery, the patient has to be admitted in the hospital for 3-4 days and intensive care is needed.

There are connected complications in the procedure, including bleeding from puncture site, haematoma and leg pain. In the radial intervention technique, block can be removed on outpatient basis by passing catheters using hand. Here, the patient can come to cathlab in the morning and can be back home the same evening. There are no complications involved and there is no need of ICU stay, he explained.

KMC COO Dr Sunil Deshpande said heart diseases are increasing in developing countries. In the radial intervention technique, side effects are only 0-1 per cent. The hospital is on par with global health care system, he added.  Intervention cardiologists Dr Narasimha Pai and Dr Narayan Pai were also present.