Nirbick Hospital Achieves Breakthrough in Cardiac Care with Orbital Atherectomy Procedure

Kathmandu. Norvic International Hospital in Thapathali has achieved a new success in heart treatment. A patient whose coronary artery was severely blocked due to excessive calcium deposits was successfully treated using the 'Orbital Atherectomy technique'.

A team led by senior cardiologist Dr. Yadav Bhatta successfully completed this complex procedure. The patient, who came to the hospital complaining of chest pain, was found to have a 99 percent blockage in the heart artery upon testing.

Since the calcium content in the artery was very high, a normal angioplasty was impossible. In such a situation, placing a stent without removing the calcium carried a risk of heart attack, leading the doctors to decide on adopting a new technique. According to Dr. Bhatta, this technique involves using a machine to shave off and remove the hard, stone-like calcium deposits inside the heart artery.

Only after cleaning the calcium is a stent placed in the artery. This 'Orbital Atherectomy' procedure, believed to be used for the first time in Nepal, appears to offer significant relief to cardiac patients in complex conditions. The problem of calcium buildup in coronary arteries is more common, especially due to diabetes, kidney disease, and increasing age.

The patient, admitted to the hospital on Tuesday, was treated in the Cath Lab on Wednesday. The treatment team included Dr. Bhatta along with Dr. Nagma Shrestha, Dr. Rajiv Shrestha, and Dr. Santosh Shrestha.

The hospital stated that the patient's condition is stable after the procedure and they are currently being monitored in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).