Patients who arrive here have often been told the same things: nothing can be done. The artery is 100% blocked. You are too high-risk for surgery. Your bypass grafts have failed. In the hands of the right specialist, each of those sentences may have a different answer.
Dr. Arun Kalyanasundaram is one of a very small global group of operators who have independently performed more than 1,000 CTO PCI procedures. He is the Asia-Pacific CTO Club Director for India — the physician who sets the guidelines for complex coronary intervention across South and Southeast Asia, and to whom failed and complex cases across the subcontinent are escalated.
For cardiologists, MDs, and GPs referring complex coronary cases or seeking proctoring support. Dr. Arun Kalyanasundaram accepts referrals from across India and internationally for CTOs, CHIP, left main disease, and failed prior PCI.
Refer by WhatsApp or email — no administrative barrier. Same-week response on every case. Proctoring requests welcomed from operators building CTO programmes.
A Chronic Total Occlusion can be opened in the majority of cases by a high-volume specialist trained in all three crossing strategies. Over 2,500 such cases treated.
Complex High-Risk PCI is designed specifically for patients who have been declined for surgery. It is a core part of Dr. Arun’s practice.
Failed CABG is not the end. Redo interventions on failed bypass grafts are performed routinely at Promed Hospital, Chennai.
Persistent chest pain is not inevitable if the underlying blockage can be safely treated. A second opinion costs very little and could change everything.
100% blocked artery. Zero blood flow. The most complex form of angioplasty. Dr. Arun’s primary specialisation.
Patients too high-risk for surgery. Last remaining vessel. EF below 35%. IABP, Impella, ECMO support available.
Your previous stent has blocked or failed to expand. Redo and rescue interventions performed routinely.
High-stakes left main coronary artery disease requiring specialist planning and technique.
Severely calcified arteries that cannot be treated with standard angioplasty.
ASD/PFO closure, valvuloplasties, paravalvular leak repair.
Leg artery blockages and peripheral CTOs. Critical limb ischemia interventions.
Fellowship
Triple Board Certified
American Board of Internal Medicine
India Director
Technique Inventor
Cardiologists across India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, and the broader Asia-Pacific region refer their most complex and failed cases to Dr. Arun because he represents the definitive escalation point for cases that have exhausted all other options.
This is not a marketing claim. It is a defined role within the standard-setting body for complex coronary intervention across the Asia-Pacific region.
CTO PCI · Chennai · 2024
Complex High-Risk PCI · Bahrain → Chennai · 2023
Failed CABG · Bangalore → Chennai · 2024
Peer-Reviewed
Peer-Reviewed
Peer-Reviewed
Peer-Reviewed
Peer-Reviewed
Peer-Reviewed
Dr. Arun Kalyanasundaram completed his interventional cardiology fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation – ranked the No. 1 hospital for heart care in the United States for 30 consecutive years (1995–2024) by U.S. News & World Report.
After more than a decade leading CTO programmes in the United States – Head of CTO PCI Programme at Swedish Medical Center, Seattle; Chief of Cardiology, Highline Medical Center — he returned to India to build the country’s first dedicated CTO PCI programme.
He is the inventor of the K14 Stingray CART technique, one of the few CTO innovations in the world to bear its author’s name. K14 stands for Kalyanasundaram.
Remote second opinion – written report within 2-3 business days. Submit angiogram and reports by email or WhatsApp.
Confirmed treatment plan – procedure recommendation, expected stay, and indicative cost estimate.
Visa invitation letter – issued by Promed Hospital for a medical visa application.
Coordination from arrival – airport pickup, accommodation, language support if needed.
Procedure and recovery – at Promed Hospital, Chennai. Typically, stay 4–7 days.
Discharge and follow-up – written summary, medication plan, remote follow-up post-return.
Yes. A Chronic Total Occlusion - a 100% blocked artery - can be reopened in the majority of cases by a high-volume CTO PCI specialist trained in all three crossing strategies. Dr. Arun Kalyanasundaram has independently performed over 2,500 such procedures and is one of a small global group of operators to exceed 1,000 CTO PCIs.
Dr. Arun Kalyanasundaram is widely regarded as one of India's leading CTO PCI specialists. Based at Promed Hospital in Chennai, he serves as the Asia-Pacific CTO Club India Director, is Cleveland Clinic trained, holds triple board certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine, and has performed more than 2,500 complex coronary interventions. He has also proctored and trained over 200 physicians across 15 countries in advanced CTO PCI techniques.
Being declined for bypass surgery is not the end of treatment options. Complex High-Risk PCI (CHIP) is a specialised form of angioplasty designed for patients considered too high-risk for surgery. It uses mechanical circulatory support - IABP, Impella, or ECMO - to safely treat the most fragile patients. This is a core part of Dr. Arun's practice in Chennai.
Remote second opinions are available for patients in India and internationally. Submit your angiogram CD or images, prior reports, and a brief case summary by email or WhatsApp. A written second opinion report is returned within 2–3 business days. The fee is INR 3,000 for Indian patients and USD 50 for international patients.
CTO PCI is the angioplasty of a Chronic Total Occlusion - an artery that has been 100% blocked for more than three months. It is the most complex form of coronary intervention, requiring specialised wires, microcatheters, retrograde access through collaterals, and advanced techniques like the K14 Stingray CART. Success rates depend heavily on operator volume and experience.
Yes. Patients from the UAE, Bahrain, Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and other countries have been treated at Promed Hospital, Chennai. A dedicated international patient pathway includes a remote second opinion before you travel, a confirmed treatment plan, visa invitation letter, and end-to-end coordination from first contact to discharge.
Dr. Arun practises at Promed Hospital, located at 1/10A East Coast Road, Kottivakkam, Chennai 600041. The hospital is equipped with a fully appointed cath lab supporting CTO PCI, CHIP procedures with mechanical circulatory support, structural heart interventions, and peripheral vascular work. Phone and WhatsApp: +91 94807 94807.
K14 Stingray CART is a CTO crossing technique invented by Dr. Arun Kalyanasundaram and recognised internationally. The K14 stands for Kalyanasundaram. It is one of a small number of named CTO PCI techniques in the world, and reflects Dr. Arun's contribution to the global evolution of complex coronary intervention.
