Mumbai: A 71-year-old man from Thane, who had been living with 100% blocked heart arteries and severely reduced heart function, has recovered after undergoing a high-risk cardiac procedure called CHIP (Complex High-Risk Interventional Procedure) at Gleneagles Hospital in Mumbai.
The patient was diagnosed with a heart condition in 2021. Although doctors recommended treatment at the time, he chose to manage it with medication due to fear of surgery. “I was scared of the risks involved in surgery, so I opted for medical management,” he said. Over the next four years, his condition worsened, and in 2025, he consulted Dr. Rahul Gupta, a specialist in interventional cardiology.
Dr. Gupta advised prompt treatment, and the patient underwent a CHIP procedure at the hospital. He has since recovered and is able to resume his daily routine. “These were not routine heart blockages. These patients had completely occluded arteries, 100% blockages that had been present for a long time, making them hard and extremely challenging to open,” said Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of Interventional Cardiology and Structural Heart Program.
Some patients treated had heart pumping efficiency, or ejection fractions, as low as 15%, making surgery too risky and routine angioplasty difficult. Dr. Gupta explained, “Treating these patients was a challenge not just because of their 100% blockages, but because their hearts were already too weak to withstand even basic, minor procedures.”
He added that these procedures are made possible through a combination of advanced tools, trained teams, and collaboration. “With CHIP procedures, patients not only survive but thrive. They begin to regain energy, their heart function improves over time, and they can return to living a life with dignity and hope.”
“I could hardly believe I was getting a second chance without the fear of major surgery hanging over me,” the patient said. “I fought for four years, but I’m grateful I ultimately decided to seek treatment.”
CHIP procedures are typically used for patients who are not suitable for bypass surgery or standard angioplasty due to the complexity of their condition.
