Another triumph of modern healthcare

Many illnesses that were fatal for earlier generations have now become easily treatable. Before the discovery of insulin, advanced diabetes usually ended in death. Today, people do not even consider diabetes a major disease. With proper treatment, it can be controlled for many years as a lifestyle condition. Similarly, vaccines have brought revolutionary changes by preventing many once-deadly diseases. Because health is directly linked to human life, every development in the medical field attracts public attention.

Government hospitals and the health department often face criticism even for small issues. But it is important to acknowledge the excellent treatment provided by medical colleges in the state, even within their limitations, and the rare achievements they make that gain global recognition. Thiruvananthapuram Medical College is one such major institution with many notable accomplishments over the years. The hospital has now added another major achievement to its list- successfully implanting a pacemaker through a minimally invasive procedure. With this, it has become the first medical college in Kerala to perform this advanced procedure.

The cardiology department of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College performed the procedure using a keyhole surgery method on a 74-year-old patient from Anchal. The pacemaker was delivered directly into the heart through a special tube inserted via the groin. There is no chest scar or visible marks. This keyhole method makes the procedure much less invasive. Dr Mathew Iype, head of the cardiology department, along with Dr Siby Mathew, Dr Krishnakumar, and the entire medical and technical team, deserves special appreciation for this achievement. It is the result of strong teamwork.

A normal pacemaker lasts around ten years. But the leadless pacemaker implanted through keyhole surgery can last up to two years longer. In private hospitals, this procedure can cost more than Rs 12 lakh, while at the government medical college, it costs about Rs 8 lakh. If pacemakers made in India become widely available, the cost could come down further. This method has many advantages- no chest wound, no blood loss, no stitches, and faster discharge from the hospital. It is hoped that the government will take steps to make this advanced treatment available in other government medical colleges as well.