GB Pant Hospital Seals 11-Year-Old's Heart Defect Without Open Surgery, All Free Under Ayushman Bharat
Jun 23, 2026
A boy who had struggled for years with breathlessness and chest infections caused by a hole in his heart is now fully recovered after GBP Hospital's cardiology team completed what is the first procedure of its kind in Tripura, sealing the defect through blood vessels in a two-hour procedure that required no open surgery and no payment from his family.
The patient, Arbik Debbarma, 11, a Class VI student from Mohanta Sardar Para in Teliamura Block, Khowai District, had been living with a complex congenital heart defect since birth. The condition caused persistent breathlessness and recurring chest infections.
Arbik was first admitted to the Cardiology Department of Agartala Government Medical College and GBP Hospital on March 12, 2026. After nearly two months of intensive treatment and observation, he was discharged on May 12. He was re-admitted on June 1, following which Dr. Anindya Sundar Trivedi, Head of Cardiology and Interventional Cardiologist, reviewed his condition and took the decision to proceed with the corrective procedure.
On June 10, Dr. Trivedi led the team in successfully closing the cardiac defect through blood vessels, without any form of open surgery. The procedure lasted nearly two hours. Arbik was discharged in full health on June 19, his breathlessness and chest infection problems fully resolved.
The medical team included cardiologists Dr. Rakesh Das and Dr. Manna Bhattacharjee. Associate Professor Dr. Sribas Das and PG doctor Dr. Syed Ashiq from the Paediatrics Department also assisted. Anaesthesia support was provided by Dr. Rimjhim Chakma and Dr. Manimoy Debbarma. Medical Officers Dr. Samrat Das, Dr. Aristotle Tripura, Dr. Khamili Debbarma, and Dr. Debashis Riang also participated. Echo Technician Kishan Roy and the Cath Lab team, including Debabrata Debnath, Pranakrishna Deb, Manas Datta, Titiksha Majumder, Sanjay Ghosh, and Arijit Pal, supported the procedure.
A similar procedure at a private hospital typically costs between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 8 lakh. Arbik's entire treatment, including all diagnostic tests and the procedure itself, was completed free of charge under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
