PRESS RELEASE

STENTING OF LEFT MAIN CORONARY ARTERY AND COMPLEX LESIONS PERFORMED BY WORLD RENOWNED
INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGIST AT SRI RAMACHANDRA UNIVERSITY

Chennai,
28 February, 2008

Dr.Marc Silvestri, a world renowned Interventional Cardiologist from the University of Marseille, Marseilles, France, performed a unique procedure in stenting of left main coronary artery and associated complex lesions on three patients at Sri Ramachandra University here today, as part of a workshop for interventional cardiologists in the city. Dr.Silvestri who is a pioneer in this particular technique has performed over 400 such procedures since 1992.


Later talking to newspersons he said worldwide there is still a controversy whether surgery or stenting is better. “As far as mortality is concerned it is not more for stenting. If we find there is more chance of recurrence of narrowing of the left main coronary artery, then we recommend surgery. If several stents have to be used, surgery is better and less costlier” he said.


Dr.S.Thanikachalam, Chairman and Director, Cardiac Care Centre, Sri Ramachandra University said, “balloon dilatation and stenting of left main coronary artery is a highly skilled procedure since during this maneuver, a large area of heart muscle may be transiently subjected to ischemia — lack of blood supply. Presently stents are costlier, as they are imported, but with more and more people preferring stents to regular open heart surgery, the costs may go down in the future”, he said.


Describing the interactions with Dr.Silvester as ‘richly rewarding’ Dr.Thanikachalam said that Sri Ramachandra University has made him a Visiting Professor.


Dr.Sengottuvelu, Associate Professor of Cardiology, SRU organized the workshop along with Dr.Asha Moorthy, Dr.T.R.Muralidharan and Dr.P.Manokar.


.………………………………..

For more information please contact Dr.G.Sengottuvelu, Associate Professor of Cardiology, SRU: 9841430999
Mr. T. G. Nallamuthu, consultant, Media Relations, SRU — 9444265578, nallIamuthu@hotmail.com