NE HEALTH BUREAU
CHENNAI, MAY 15
In what is claimed to be a medical miracle and the first-of-its-kind in South India, a nonagenarian doctor recently underwent a coronary bypass surgery and a pacemaker implantation at SIMS Hospital here in Vadapalani. The surgery was uneventful, and after spending three days in the ICU, the patient was discharged, seven days post-surgery.
- A beating heart coronary four vessel bypass and a pacemaker implantation in a single procedure, this may be the first time it has been successfully carried out on a nonagenarian in South India.
- This case reinforces that when it comes to the heart, age is just a number, what truly matters is the physical and mental fitness of patient and expertise of the surgical team.
- After spending three days in the ICU, the patient was discharged, seven days post-surgery.
E.C. Sreevalsan, 92, a retired gynaecologist from Madras Medical College said,“As a doctor, I was fully aware of the risks involved, but what gave me the confidence was the clarity with which my condition was explained and the trust I felt in the Dr. Bashi and his team. At 92, most people would hesitate but not for me and Dr. Bashi as well didn’t see age as a limitation. From diagnosis to surgery and recovery, everything was seamless. Today, I walk out not just with a stronger heart, but with a renewed belief in modern medicine and compassionate healthcare.”
A beating heart coronary bypass (also called off-pump coronary artery bypass) is a type of heart surgery where the surgeon performs a bypass on the coronary arteries without stopping the heart. Instead of using a heart-lung machine, the heart continues to beat while special stabilising equipment is used to keep the area operated on still. This method can reduce complications and speed up recovery.
Though the beating heart coronary bypass procedure is typically preferred for older patients or those with comorbidities such as diabetes, kidney issues, or lung disease—owing to its advantage of avoiding the risks associated with a heart-lung machine used in traditional bypass surgery—this is perhaps the first time it has been performed on a nonagenarian in the country. As a retired gynaecologist, the patient was well-informed about the procedure, including its potential benefits and risks, enabling him to make a confident and informed decision. Despite having borderline diabetes, he was otherwise in good health, and these factors significantly contributed to the success of the surgery.
Equally vital to the success of the procedure is the expertise of the surgeon and the surgical team. In this landmark case, the surgery was performed by Dr. V.V. Bashi, Director & Senior Consultant at the Institute of Cardiac & Advanced Aortic Diseases, SIMS. With a distinguished career spanning 45 years, Dr. Bashi has conducted over 20,000 heart surgeries, and is recognized as a pioneer in beating heart coronary bypass surgery and arterial grafting for coronary artery disease in India.
Commenting on this landmark achievement Dr. Ravi Pachamuthu, Chairman, SIMS Hospital, said “This landmark procedure is more than just a clinical success — it is a statement of what modern Indian healthcare can achieve. At SIMS, we are committed to pushing boundaries in patient care through innovation, expertise, and an uncompromising focus on safety. Successfully performing a beating heart bypass along with a pacemaker implantation on a 92-year-old patient is testimony to the excellence of our surgical team and the strength of our integrated care model. We don’t just treat diseases, we restore hope, dignity, and life, even in the most challenging of cases. This is the future of healthcare, and we’re proud to be leading it from Chennai.
In his comments, Dr. Bashi said, “In four and a half decades of my surgical career, this case stands out as one of the most fulfilling. Performing a beating heart coronary bypass along with a pacemaker implantation on a 92-year-old patient is rare — not just for the complexity involved, but because it reflects the advancement of cardiac care available today. The patient had multiple risk factors, including coronary artery disease and a slow heart rhythm, which required two different treatments. Our ability to combine both in a single stage, uneventful surgery, speaks volumes of the multidisciplinary expertise at SIMS the precision of our intra-operative planning, and the post-operative care protocols we have in place. Our multidisciplinary expertise comprises senior cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Idhrees, Cardiac Anesthetist headed by Dr. Aju Jacob, our cardiac specialist nurses, perfusionists, and technical staff. Age is no longer a barrier when science, skill, and spirit come together.”
