Arunachal: Medical milestone at TRIHMS as first-of-its-kind heart procedure saves a life

In a groundbreaking achievement, the Tomo Riba Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) in Naharlagun, Arunachal Pradesh, has marked a historic moment in the state's medical history. For the first time, a 29-year-old female diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCMP) and severe Left Ventricular Dysfunction underwent a successful implantation of Cardiac Resynchronization Defibrillator (CRT-D) therapy in the cath lab of TRIHMS.

Despite the implantation of more than 70 pacemakers in the past, this procedure stands out due to the availability of a state-of-the-art cath lab at TRIHMS. The CRT-D therapy is designed to restore synchronization between the heart's ventricles, addressing a specific subset of patients with chronic heart failure who do not fully respond to conventional medical therapy. This breakthrough not only improves the ejection fraction of the patient but also enhances their quality of life while significantly reducing mortality rates. The defibrillator component of CRT-D further acts as a preventive measure against cardiac arrest.

The Department of Cardiology at TRIHMS has been at the forefront of innovative healthcare solutions, having performed over three hundred cardiac interventional procedures since the installation of the cath lab in August 2023. Since its inception in September 2023, the Intensive Coronary Care Unit (ICCU) at TRIHMS has catered to the needs of more than 200 patients, offering dedicated services for critical cardiac cases.

Routine procedures conducted by the Department of Cardiology include coronary angiography, coronary angioplasty, renal angioplasty, congenital heart disease device closures, and the implantation of pacemakers (both temporary and permanent), AICD, among others.