Promed Hospital launches Angioplasty with Warranty scheme for coronary artery disease in India

• Mr T S Jawahar, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu felicitates Dr Arun for the appointment as Director of Asia Pacific CTO Club
• Warranty Scheme forAngioplasty Launched at Promed Hospital is the first of its kind in the country

As a part of the World Heart Day celebrations, Promed Hospital, a multispecialty hospital at Kottivakkam, Chennai launched the “Angioplasty with Warranty” scheme, a unique option for patients, for the first time in the country. Mr T S Jawahar, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department ,Government of Tamil Nadu  was the Chief Guest. Dr. VelagapalliVaraprasada Rao, (IAS) R, Ex- MP Tirupati, MLA – Gudur, Dr Spoorthi Arun, MD, Promed Hospital and Dr. Arun Kalyanasundaram, Director & Chief Cardiologist, Promed Hospital were also present.

The patients who undergo procedures under the “Angioplasty with warranty” scheme will be covered for any issues with the stent for the first 12 months. There is a myth that stents can often fail and have limited longevity in comparison to bypass surgery. Any problems with the stent will be dealt with at no cost to the patient for the first year, without exception. This is not a gimmick but something that is achievable by implementing rigorous process control, using quality devices and scientifically proven evidence-based operative techniques. Patients that are agreeable to optimal practices will qualify for these procedures with a warranty. Patients need to be adherent to medications, need to be non-smokers and keep scheduled follow-ups.

Mr T S Jawahar, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu also felicitated Dr. Arun Kalyanasundaram for being appointed as the Director of the Asia Pacific Chronic Total Occlusion Club (APCTO) and for being the only Indian Doctor to be appointed for this prestigious post in the history of the Club. The other Directors from the Asia Pacific region are top interventional cardiologists (CTO experts) from China, New Zealand, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, and Japan. A CTO is a 100% blockage in a heart vessel that is treated by advanced interventional techniques by experts in the field.

“Angioplasty with warranty was a concept that gained traction when I was in training in the US and was widely appreciated by people whose minds were at peace owing to it. It is with immense pleasure that I wish to announce a similar option for patients in India.  Hence, I decided to back up stenting, with a warranty. Any problem with the stent in the first year will be covered at no cost to the patient.  We are able to do this by implementing rigorous process control, using quality devices and scientifically proven evidence-based operative techniques” said Dr. Arun Kalyanasundaram, Director & Chief Cardiologist, Promed Hospital.

“Commenting on his appointment, Dr. Arun Kalyanasundaram said, “I feel truly honoured to have been appointed as a Director, Asia Pacific CTO Club (APCTO) and representing India. I have already been a global proctor with extensive teaching experience, involved in conducting international conferences, and training physicians. My goal would be to use my position as the APCTO director for India to train more interventionalists, provide international opportunities for Indian cardiologists, and more structured courses/workshops. Yet another goal is to leverage this position to get India on the map for future research endeavors and take the lead in writing guidelines.”

“Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of deaths globally. In India, Cardiovascular disease accounts for 24.8% of deaths however, half of these can be prevented by changing our lifestyles, saidDr Spoorthi Arun, Managing Director at Promed hospitals. The PCI procedure warranty scheme that was launched today is a revolutionary scheme which will benefit the patients who are undergoing PCI procedure for a 100 percent heart blockage in their arteries, added Dr Spoorthi