5th Winner | Dr. Babu Ezhumalai
Dr. Babu Ezhumalai is a talented, passionate, qualified, and trustworthy cardiologist from India. After the completion of his undergraduate medical degree, he has pursued a career as both general and interventional Cardiologists. He served as Assistant Professor of Cardiology and Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at several high-volume tertiary-care centers in India. In addition, he has been actively participating in recognized international scientific meetings; he was an Indian National Ambassador for European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging Club 35, a winner of best presentation award at The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) conference 2015, and has been an active presenter at TCTAP meetings. He has abundant experience in coronary artery intervention using Absorb Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold, pulmonic valvuloplasty, and endovascular procedures. Nowadays, his focus is moving onto transcatheter aortic and mitral valvular procedures.
Interview with Dr. Babu Ezhumalai
Q1) How did you choose to specialize in cardiology?
The rapidity of relief in a patient with STEMI obtained with emergent revascularization therapy attracted me to choose cardiology.
Q2) How do you think your wide range of experience in general cardiology affect your current practice?
The knowledge of general cardiology is important in treating patients with heart failure, arrhythmia, and associated systemic diseases.
Q3) What do you think about the role BVS in complex coronary artery disease?
My mentor, Dr. Ashok Seth from India, has used BVS to treat all possible complex coronary lesions with a negligible scaffold thrombosis rate. BVS is a new device altogether with different properties than the current metallic DES, so paying attention to technical details such as adequate pre-dilation, selection of optimally sized scaffold, high-pressure post-dilatation, and meticulous antiplatelet regimen will ensure less scaffold thrombosis and TLR rate, and thereby might improve the outcomes in most complex CAD.
Q4) What attracted you to the interventions for structural heart disease?
Although I was trained in basic interventions for structural heart disease during my DM cardiology course, it is my research work on balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty that triggered my attraction towards these interventions. This attraction is currently sustained by my endeavor for procedures like TAVR, Mitraclip, LAA closure etc.
Q5) Any advice for a young cardiologist?
There is a general misconception that research is timeconsuming. Young cardiologists in pursuit of excellence must overcome this myth and realize that research work provides additional mileage to a professional career. It is high time to have an adequate balance of working in all fields, including research.
