Chandigarh, July 27 — Doctors at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) successfully restored the heart rhythm of a 79-year-old man suffering from atrial fibrillation through a complex cryoablation procedure.
The elderly patient had a dual challenge — an irregular heartbeat originating in the upper chambers of the heart, coupled with a thickened lower chamber due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The condition had led to repeated hospitalisations and a prior pacemaker implant.
Cryoablation, a state-of-the-art technique using cold energy to isolate the faulty electrical circuits in the heart, was carried out by a team led by Dr Saurabh Mehrotra under the supervision of Dr Yash Paul Sharma, head of PGIMER’s cardiology department.
“This was a high-risk, complicated case where traditional rate-control approaches weren’t effective,” said Dr Mehrotra. “By directly targeting the source of atrial fibrillation, we were able to restore the patient’s heart rhythm and improve his cardiac function significantly.”
The procedure, which freezes the pulmonary veins responsible for the erratic rhythm, took just about an hour — a major improvement over the four-to-five-hour duration of conventional electrophysiology therapies.
PGIMER joins a select group of hospitals outside metro cities now equipped to perform this advanced intervention. The institute currently manages 20–30 atrial fibrillation cases monthly, with cryoablation being considered for severe or complex cases.
Doctors say the minimally invasive nature of cryoablation reduces collateral damage, shortens hospital stays, and offers better safety and long-term outcomes — especially for elderly patients and those with pacemakers.
“This successful case marks a big step toward making cutting-edge cardiac care accessible in the region,” said Dr Sharma.
