TFP Bureau, Raipur, September 25, 2025: Chhattisgarh has achieved a historic milestone in medical science with the successful completion of the country’s sixth and the nation’s first government-institution-performed Beckman Total Physiological Pacing at the Advanced Cardiac Institute (ACI) of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial Hospital, Raipur. A team of expert cardiologists performed this rare and complex procedure on a 68-year-old woman suffering from sick sinus syndrome, a severe condition that damages the heart’s pacemaker cells and causes irregular rhythms.
This remarkable achievement has positioned Chhattisgarh among the leading states in advanced cardiac treatments. Even premier institutions such as AIIMS Delhi and PGI Chandigarh have not performed this specific procedure to date. Beckman Total Physiological Pacing involves controlling the heartbeat through the heart’s natural conduction system, ensuring safer and more effective long-term heart rhythm management.
The pioneering case also marks the first-ever lead placement in the right atrium, or Beckman bundle, in India. Until now, procedures typically involved lead placement in the left bundle or His bundle. With this advancement, both chambers of the heart can now be regulated through the body’s natural electrical pathways, significantly improving patient outcomes.
Dr. Smit Srivastava, Head of Cardiology at ACI, explained that conventional pacing methods posed high risks for the patient due to her weak heart and irregular atrial rhythm. Ventricular pacing alone could have triggered heart failure or abnormally rapid heartbeats. By adopting Beckman Total Physiological Pacing, the ACI team restored normal heart rhythm while reducing the long-term risk of complications. The intricate process involved detailed electrophysiological mapping of both the left and right bundles before carefully implanting the pacemaker leads in the atrium.
The procedure was led by Dr. Srivastava along with Dr. S.K. Sharma, Dr. Kunal Ostwal, Dr. Anurag Kujur, and Dr. Ved Prakash. It was carried out under the Chief Minister’s Special Health Assistance Scheme, with medico-social worker Khogendra Sahu ensuring the patient’s access to benefits under the program.
Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai praised the achievement as a reflection of Chhattisgarh’s rising stature in medical innovation. He said that government hospitals in the state are no longer confined to providing routine treatment but are now performing procedures of global standards. “This historic success at ACI gives new hope to patients and demonstrates that public institutions are capable of matching, and even surpassing, the benchmarks set by private and metropolitan hospitals,” he said, while congratulating the medical team.
Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal echoed the Chief Minister’s sentiments, noting that Chhattisgarh’s health infrastructure has become a symbol of modernity and trust. He emphasized that advanced treatments such as these eliminate the need for patients to travel to metros for specialized cardiac care. He added that the state government’s schemes, including the Chief Minister’s Special Health Assistance Scheme, are ensuring that high-quality medical treatment is available to all citizens free of cost.
The achievement builds on ACI’s growing reputation in cardiac science. In 2022–23, the institute ranked fifth nationwide in the highest number of electrophysiology cases treated. With this success, Chhattisgarh has firmly established itself on India’s medical map, setting new standards in government-led healthcare delivery.
