Mangaluru: KMC Hospital Mangaluru (KMCHM), a part of Manipal Health Enterprises, held the inauguration of the 3D Mapping system at the Department of Cardiology, KMCHM premises, here on Saturday, 11 July.
The programme began with a puja. The 3D Mapping System was inaugurated by Dr Jayaprakash Shenthar (Professor, Electrophysiology Unit from Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Science & Research, Bengaluru) by cutting the ribbon and lighting the traditional lamp.
Addressing the mediapersons, Dr Jayaprakash said that the heart is divided into four chambers. It pumps blood and under normal conditions has a regular heartbeat of 72 per minute. “But sometimes, due to birth defects, heart attacks, or other problems, there could be an irregularity in the heartbeats (arrhythmia in medical terms). This mapping system will provide a 3D view of the heart so that the point or area from where these abnormalities arise can be identified and analysed.”
Arrhythmias are caused by problems with the heart’s electrical system. The electrical signals fire in an irregular way. Abnormal electrical signals can originate in different areas of the heart (such as the atria or ventricles) causing arrhythmias. 3D Minimal radiation SJM-Ensite Velocity heart mapping is used to track irregular heartbeats to cure arrhythmias with radio frequency ablation that destroys abnormal tissue. It combines navigation, imaging and mapping capabilities to precisely locate catheters in the heart, and is especially valuable for mapping complicated arrhythmias and processing heart images into detailed 3D models. The Cardiac Catheterization Lab at KMC is the only hospital in MangaIuru that offers 3D, Minimal radiation and heart mapping.
Arrhythmias affect a significant population of Indian cardiac patients and can be targeted for ablation and potential cure. The advantages of this procedure is that it minimally invasive as it is percutaneously done with the patient under local Anesthesia. It might last upto 2-3 hours depending upon the complexity of the arrhythmia. Arrthymias like SVTS can be completed under an hour. The patient can be discharged within 1-2 days in most cases.
Dr Jayaprakash also explained the procedure used to perform the mapping. A thin tube (a catheter sheath) is inserted into a small incision in the arm or upper thigh. The catheter is then carefully guided through the blood vessels until it is inside the heart. A smaller electrically sensitive catheter is then inserted inside the sheath and into the heart. This catheter can be use to sense electrical activity and map it on a 3D model of the hearts chambers.
He further said that the heart is both mechanical and electrical. “It’s a physical pump whose action is triggered by the body’s electrical impulses. That’s why heart disease can be caused by blood flow blockage or electrical problems.” Further differentiating between normal cardiologists and electrophysiologists, he said that if “normal cardiologists are plumbers of the heart, then we are the electricians.”
HOD of Cardiology Department KMC, Dr R L Kamath (HOD) expressed delight at the fact that the KMC Cardio Department could now give a complete cardiological health care. “Before people had to go to Bangaluru for this treatment, but now they can avail this service in Mangaluru itself. There are very few hospitals in the country that offer 3D mapping service, and so this is a big day for Karnataka, especially DK district, since this is the second hospital in the state with this facility.”
Dr Anand Venugopal (Medical Superintendent, KMC Hospitals, Mangalore), Dr Padmanabha Kamath (Additional Professor, Department of Cardiology), Dr Narasimha Pai (Associate Professor, Department of Cardiology), Dr Manish Rai (consultant electrophysiologist), consultant cardiologists Dr M N Bhat and Dr Rajesh Bhat, Dr Chakrapami (Associate Dean) and others were also present.