Lucknow: A six-year-old boy, Arsh Ali, has successfully undergone complex cardiac surgery at Vivekananda Polyclinic & Institute of Medical Sciences (VPIMS), Lucknow, for chronic constrictive pericarditis, a condition in which the pericardium becomes abnormally thickened and restricts normal heart function.
Arsh, who had been receiving regular medication for the condition, was admitted to the institute with ascites, breathing difficulties, general weakness, fatigue and difficulty carrying out routine activities. A CT scan showed severe chronic constrictive pericarditis with significant thickening of the pericardium. Doctors subsequently planned a pericardiectomy to relieve the constriction.
The child comes from an economically weaker section and was covered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Following approval of his Ayushman Card, he was admitted to the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS) ward for further treatment.
Before surgery, the medical team optimised his condition and carried out decongestion for four days. On September 16, 2026, he underwent a subtotal pericardiectomy in a procedure lasting around three hours.
The surgery was performed by cardiac surgeon Dr Arvind Kumar Verma with cardiac anaesthetist Dr Rajeev Kumar Gupta. Following the procedure, the child was extubated immediately after surgery after completing the standard weaning protocol.
The patient is currently stable and recovering under post-operative care.
The case highlights the specialised cardiac surgical facilities available at VPIMS, Lucknow, including access to advanced treatment for eligible patients from economically weaker sections through the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
