Kannur– North Kerala's No. 1 hospital, Aster MIMS Hospital, Kannur,  has achieved a groundbreaking medical milestone by successfully completing Kerala’s first Phrenic Nerve Pacing Surgery. The procedure was performed on a 45-year-old patient from Cheruvathur who had been reliant on a ventilator for breathing following a severe spine cord injury  four months ago.

After the accident, the patient's nervous system, responsible for transmitting messages from the brain to the diaphragm, was severely damaged, leading to respiratory failure—a common consequence of spinal cord injuries. As a result, he was unable to breathe independently and required continuous ventilator support.

Phrenic nerve pacing has emerged as a revolutionary solution for such conditions. In this procedure, a specially designed impulse generator was implanted in the affected area to stimulate the damaged phrenic nerve. This stimulation enabled the patient to gradually regain his breathing capacity. Once his ability to breathe independently was restored, he was successfully weaned off the ventilator. The patient has now fully recovered, and his breathing difficulties have completely vanished.

The complex and pioneering surgery was led by Dr. Ramesh C.V., Consultant Neurosurgeon and Head of the Department at Aster MIMS, Kannur. He was assisted by Dr. Shameej Muhammed, Dr. Vandana, Dr. Lavanya, and Dr. Sajith Babu. A press conference was held to share this significant achievement, attended by Dr. Ramesh C.V., Dr. Shameej Muhammed, Dr. Shahid, and Dr. Supriya Ranjith.

Speaking at the press meet, Dr. Ramesh C.V. emphasized the importance of this breakthrough in neurorehabilitation and its potential to transform the lives of patients suffering from respiratory failure due to spinal cord injuries.

Aster MIMS Hospital, Kannur, remains committed to bringing advanced medical solutions and world-class healthcare to Kerala, setting new benchmarks in the field of neurosurgery.