Dr. Refai Showkathali MBBS, MRCP (UK), FRCP (Lon), FACC (USA), FESC (Europe), CCT in Cardiology (UK), Fellowship in TAVI (Lon) is currently practising at Apollo Main Hospital, Greams Road, Chennai, India as a Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist . His academic position includes “Professor” at Apollo Hospitals Educational and Research Foundation (AHERF). He is also currently the Examiner for MRCP PACES clinical exam conducted by the Royal College of Physicians, London. He has returned back to India in 2014 for practice after spending 14 years in UK working in world-class tertiary cardiology centres such as St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, St. George’s Hospital, London, Hammersmith Hospital (Imperial College Hospital), London, The Essex Cardiothoracic Centre, Essex and King’s College Hospital, London.
Dr. Refai specialises in Advanced Interventional Cardiology (advanced coronary and advanced structural) including CHIP-PCI (coronary angioplasty with stents) and has performed more than 15,000 Cardiology procedures. He is an expert in performing high risk complex angioplasties such as Laser angioplasty (ELCA Laser), rotablation/Rotapro (drilling technique), Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL), bifurcation stenting (block at the level of division), Left main stem (LMS) stenting (main branch), chronic total occlusion (CTO) angioplasty via the wrist (radial approach) and has the highest case series of this in South India. He also performs primary PCI for ST elevation MI (acute heart attack- unblocking the closed artery), Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), Optical coherence tomography (OCT), pressure wire studies (FFR- fractional flow reserve)and vein graft stenting and Impella assisted CHIP PCI. He is a pioneer in the new concept of Zero (Ultra low volume) contrast angioplasty in patients with kidney disease who are considered to be extremely high risk.
Achievements in Interventional Cardiology:
- Successfully performed “World’s first “Renal denervation” procedure in ectopic kidneys (Left kidney in Right side) with Medtronic Simplicity Spyral RDN catheter on 30 April 2024.
- Successfully performed TRIC Valve implantation for severe Tricuspid regurgitation for a 70 year old patient in Feb 2024, who already had 2 prosthetic heart valves.
- Performed First “Renal denervation” procedure with Simplicity Spyral denervation Catheter in Tamilnadu and the oldest patient to undergo in India (73 yrs) in Aug 2023.
- First time in India to perform “Micra” leadless pacemaker and “Orbital atherctomy” guided PCI for the same patient.
- Performed India’s first Transradial (via wrist) rotablation with the new rotapro device for Left main stem PCI on 25th April 2022 in a 74 yr old male patient.
- First to perform successful rotablation PCI in a nanogenarian (93 yr old) in South India
- First to perform Zero (Ultra low volume) contrast angioplasty of Left main artery in a chronic kidney disease patient who is not on dialysis with Intravascular Ultrasound in South India.
- First to perform Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL) in Left main artery with IABP support and complex DK crush technique angioplasty in India.
- First to perform Bi-radial Chronic total Occlusion (CTO) PCI technique of 100% blocked artery retrogradely in India.
- First to perform transradial rotablation in left main stem angioplasty with heavily calcified artery in an Octogenarian male in South India.
- First to perform 7 stents in one sitting in all 3 coronary arteries via transradial approach in a patient with triple vessel disease who declined CABG.
- First to perform Self expanding covered stent correction of sinus venosus ASD with partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (PAPVC) in a 26 yr old male in India with our Paediatric cardiology team.
- Highest number of Complex High risk indicated PCI (CHIP angioplasty) in India via wrist (Radial approach).
- High volume operator of CHIP in South India with more than 100 CHIP cases per annum.
He undertook a Fellowship in structural heart disease intervention such as Transcatheter Aortic Valve implantation (TAVI), Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV), TRIC valve implantation for Tricuspid regurgitation, PFO and ASD Closure at King’s College Hospital, London. He also performs other invasive procedures like Permanent pacemaker , AICD (Defibrillator) implantation, Leadless Micra pacemaker, CRT-P ,CRT-D, implantable loop recorder, intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) insertion, right and left heart catheterisation, “Renal denervation” procedure for uncontrolled hypertension, Right ventricular (RV) biopsy and transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE). He had full Echo accreditation from British Society of Echocardiography from 2008- 2013.
He has been conferred with the prestigious Fellowship of Royal College of Physicians, London (FRCP, Lon). He was also awarded the Fellowship of American College of Cardiology (FACC) and Fellowship of European Society of Cardiology (FESC) recently for his academic achievements. He regularly presents research papers in International Cardiology conferences in UK, Europe and USA. He has published extensively in the field of cardiology with more than 75 peer reviewed publications in renowned International Journals, most of which are first or lead author. He is an editorial board member for few international medical journals. He also regularly review manuscripts for various cardiology and general medical journals from UK, Europe and USA (Heart, Open Heart, Eurointervention, Indian Heart journal, “Current cardiology review” etc within the last one year).