14 May, 2025
Chitra Hospitals Launches Cardiac Electrophysiology Super-Speciality at Rajapalayam, Cures 14-Year-Old Girl of Rare Heart Condition
Chitra Hospitals has launched a new Cardiac Electrophysiology super-speciality unit in Rajapalayam, successfully performing the region’s first heart electrical treatment (ablation) on a 14-year-old girl—completely curing her of a life-threatening heart rhythm disorder
The young girl, who had been experiencing repeated episodes of extremely high heart rate reaching 250 beats per minute, had multiple hospital admissions. Her parents were distraught, unsure of what to do next. In a groundbreaking moment for the region, she received a state-of-the-art heart treatment at Chitra Hospitals—without open-heart surgery. She was completely cured, required no medications, and was discharged within 24 hours.
What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that it did not take place in a metropolitan hospital, but in the quiet town of Rajapalayam. For confidentiality reasons, the patient’s name has not been disclosed. She had been previously seen at local primary care centers and diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia, a serious and distressing electrical problem within the heart.
For decades, such highly specialised treatments were only available in metropolitan cities at large corporate hospitals with advanced infrastructure and specialist doctors. As a result, patients from smaller towns had to travel far, leaving behind work and family responsibilities, and bearing significant financial and emotional burdens in unfamiliar cities.
All of this changed on March 12, 2025, with the launch of Chitra Hospitals’ advanced tertiary care services in Rajapalayam, now serving the entire Virudhunagar district. The hospital now offers complex treatments such as cardiac electrophysiology, cardiac surgeries, nephrology care, and trauma services, supported by a 24/7 emergency department.
The 14-year-old patient was admitted with a dangerously high heart rate. Doctors diagnosed her with ventricular tachycardia, a severe electrical condition of the heart. Dr. Gnanaguru, Senior Consultant Cardiologist at Chitra Hospitals, shared:
“This is a serious heart rhythm disorder affecting many children and adults. While a permanent cure is possible, it usually requires access to super-speciality hospitals in large cities. We’re proud to now offer this advanced care right here in Rajapalayam.”
The patient was admitted on April 5 and underwent a minimally invasive keyhole procedure. Through a small incision, fine tubes were passed into her blood vessels to reach her heart. Using a sophisticated diagnostic test called electrophysiological study, doctors pinpointed the abnormal electrical pathway in her heart. This was then eliminated using radiofrequency energy.
“Her heart returned to normal instantly,” said Dr. Suresh Babu, Managing Director of Chitra Hospitals. “What’s even more fascinating is that the entire procedure was performed without general anaesthesia. The girl remained awake, listened to her favourite music, and even watched the procedure on a large screen while interacting with the specialist.”
The procedure lasted 1.5 hours. She was moved directly to a regular ward (not ICU), stayed overnight with her family, and was discharged the next day—completely cured and medication-free.
This represents a paradigm shift in healthcare access for the people of Rajapalayam and surrounding areas. For the first time, cutting-edge, life-saving treatments are now available locally at affordable costs, eliminating the need for long-distance travel to cities like Madurai, Virudhunagar, or even Kerala.
Since March 12, 2025, Chitra Hospitals has been transforming healthcare in Rajapalayam. With its 52-year legacy of trusted service, the hospital continues the vision of its founder, the late Dr. K. Bhimaraja, a respected physician in the region. Today, Chitra Hospitals is one of Virudhunagar district’s most advanced tertiary care centres, providing immediate, expert care for heart attacks, strokes, trauma, and other critical conditions.
The people of Rajapalayam and nearby towns no longer need to wait or travel far for expert healthcare. Chitra Hospitals is bringing world-class medical care to tier-2 and tier-3 towns—and rewriting the future of rural healthcare in Tamil Nadu.
