A 45-year-old working woman walked into SIMS Hospitals in Chennai with no apparent heart complaint and walked out after a procedure that had never been performed anywhere in India before. Surgeons at the hospital successfully removed a rare tumour from the left ventricle of her heart using an endoscopic keyhole technique, eliminating the need for open heart surgery entirely. This milestone represents not just a triumph for the patient, but a pivotal advance for minimally invasive cardiac surgery in the country. For the millions of patients worldwide who face cardiac tumours and dread the prospect of cracking open the chest, this surgery signals that a safer, less traumatic path is now possible.
What Happened at SIMS Hospitals?
SIMS Hospitals, Chennai, announced on December 10, 2025, the successful completion of India's first Endoscopic Left Ventricular Tumour Removal, a keyhole minimally invasive cardiac surgery performed without sternotomy, the conventional procedure that involves cutting through the breastbone to access the heart.
The patient, a working woman in her mid forties, was incidentally diagnosed with a mass attached to the left ventricle, the heart's main pumping chamber, during a routine evaluation. An MRI of the heart confirmed a left ventricular mass measuring 1.6 × 1.5 cm. Though seemingly small in size, the location of this tumour made it extraordinarily dangerous and its removal technically complex.
The surgery was performed by Dr. A. Mohammed Ibrahim, Consultant in Cardiothoracic Surgery, under the guidance of Dr. V. V. Bashi, Director and Senior Consultant at the Institute of Cardiac & Advanced Aortic Diseases. The procedure successfully removed the tumour and eliminated the patient's risk of life-threatening complications such as stroke.
Why Is This Surgery Historically Significant?
Synthesized medical significance and surgical innovation detailsSynthesized medical significance and surgical innovation detailsLeft ventricular tumours are extraordinarily rare, occurring in roughly one in 20 to 30 million people, and primary cardiac tumours account for just 0.6% of all cardiac surgeries in India. Until now, the only treatment option was sternotomy, open heart surgery involving a large chest incision, breastbone cutting, and lengthy recovery with significant risks including infection, blood loss, and permanent scarring.
SIMS Hospitals changed that. By creating small openings between the ribs and using endoscopic guidance, surgeons removed the tumour without ever opening the chest, reducing trauma, speeding up recovery, and leaving no visible midline scar. No Indian hospital had attempted this on a left ventricular tumour before, making it a genuine first in the country's cardiac surgery history.
Understanding Left Ventricular Tumours: What You Need to Know
What Is the Left Ventricle?
The left ventricle is the largest and most powerful of the heart's four chambers. It receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it out to the entire body through the aorta. Any mass growing inside this chamber poses significant risks:
- It can obstruct blood flow out of the heart
- It can break off and travel to the brain, causing a stroke
- It can interfere with heart valves, leading to regurgitation or stenosis
- It can trigger dangerous arrhythmias
What Are Cardiac Tumours?
Cardiac tumours are abnormal growths that develop within the heart. They are broadly classified as primary (originating in the heart itself) or secondary (spreading to the heart from cancer elsewhere in the body). Primary cardiac tumours are overwhelmingly benign, the most common being myxoma but their location inside the heart makes them potentially life-threatening regardless of their benign nature.
Symptoms, when they occur, can include:
- Unexplained fatigue or breathlessness
- Palpitations or irregular heartbeat
- Episodes of fainting
- Stroke or transient ischaemic attacks (mini-strokes)
- Incidental finding on echocardiogram or MRI
In many cases, as with the SIMS Hospitals patient, the tumour is discovered accidentally during imaging done for unrelated reasons, making regular cardiac check ups an important preventive tool.
How Does the Keyhole Technique Work?
The procedure performed at SIMS Hospitals is known as endoscopic cardiac surgery or minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS). Here is what it involves:
Instead of splitting the breastbone, surgeons make small incisions, typically 2 to 3 cm, between the ribs on the right side of the chest. Specially designed long instruments, along with a tiny camera (endoscope), are inserted through these ports. The endoscope projects a magnified, high definition image of the heart's interior onto a monitor, allowing the surgeon to navigate with exceptional precision.
The heart is temporarily stopped and supported by a heart lung bypass machine, just as in conventional surgery but the approach to accessing the heart is far less invasive. Surgeons can visualise the inside of the heart chambers, identify the tumour, and excise it with accuracy that is, in many respects, superior to what is achievable through a wide open incision.
The key benefits compared to open heart sternotomy include:
- Faster recovery: Patients typically return to normal activity within 2 to 3 weeks, compared to 6 to 8 weeks for open surgery
- Less blood loss and reduced need for transfusion
- Lower risk of post surgical infection
- No breastbone cutting: Eliminates the pain, instability, and healing time associated with sternal wounds
- No visible midline scar: Cosmetically far less prominent incisions
- Earlier return to work: Particularly meaningful for working age patients
What This Means for Cardiac Surgery in India
Dr. Ravi Pachamuthu, Chairman of SIMS Hospital, highlighted that this achievement reflects the strength of the hospital's clinical environment and the sophistication of its endoscopic capabilities and infrastructure. That statement resonates beyond a single institution.
India has emerged over the past decade as a globally competitive destination for complex cardiac procedures, combining world class surgical talent with significantly lower costs than Western hospitals. The successful completion of India's first endoscopic left ventricular tumour removal adds another tier to that reputation.
For international patients seeking cardiac care, this development carries direct relevance. Procedures that once required travel to specialised centres in the United States or Europe are increasingly available in India at a fraction of the cost, and now, at the frontier of minimally invasive technique.
Conclusion
The surgery performed at SIMS Hospitals in Chennai is more than a medical milestone for a single patient, it is a signal of where Indian cardiac surgery is headed. As endoscopic techniques continue to advance and more surgical teams develop the skill and infrastructure to perform them, patients with rare and complex cardiac conditions will increasingly have access to treatment that is safer, faster, and less traumatic than what was available just a decade ago.
For patients dealing with cardiac tumours or other structural heart conditions and exploring their options, this is exactly the kind of development worth knowing about. Whether seeking care domestically or internationally, the message is clear: minimally invasive cardiac surgery is no longer reserved for routine cases. It is now reaching the most challenging corners of the heart.
References
- PTI / The Week. (December 10, 2025). SIMS Hospitals performs rare endoscopic surgery to remove left ventricular tumour. https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/national/2025/12/10/srg4-tn-surgery-sims.html
- DT Next. (December 10, 2025). SIMS Hospitals performs India's first keyhole removal of rare heart tumour from left ventricle. https://www.dtnext.in/news/chennai/sims-hospitals-performs-indias-first-keyhole-removal-of-rare-heart-tumour-from-left-ventricle-856175
- Medical Dialogues. (December 11, 2025). India's First Minimally Invasive Removal of Rare Heart Tumor at SIMS. https://health.medicaldialogues.in/health-topics/heart-health/indias-first-minimally-invasive-removal-of-rare-heart-tumor-at-sims-160427
- The Hindu. (December 10, 2025). Doctors at SIMS Hospitals remove rare heart tumour from left ventricle through keyhole surgery. Retrieved from https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/doctors-at-sims-hospitals-remove-rare-heart-tumour-from-left-ventricle-through-keyhole-surgery/article70379896.ece
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Shruti Verma has completed her M.Tech in Biotechnology with experience in medical writing and scientific content development. She specializes in translating complex biomedical and healthcare information into clear, accurate, and reader-friendly content for diverse audiences. When she is not designing content, probably she is designing graphics.
Guneet Bhatia is the Founder of HOSPIDIO and an accomplished content reviewer with extensive experience in medical content development, instructional design, and blogging. Passionate about creating impactful content, she excels in ensuring accuracy and clarity in every piece. Guneet enjoys engaging in meaningful conversations with people from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, enriching her perspective. When she's not working, she cherishes quality time with her family, enjoys good music, and loves brainstorming innovative ideas with her team.