Skip to main content
Our trust values
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Richard Bala

richard bala

Consultant Cardiologist and Clinical Lead for Electrophysiology

Specialties

Cardiology

I graduated from the University of Birmingham in 1996, having been a winner of the Aesculapius Prize for services to medicine, and trained in Cardiology at Papworth Hospital, Cambridge before pursuing a fellowship in Electrophysiology under Professor Jonathan Kalman at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, one of the world’s leading centres in cardiac electrophysiology. During the course of my training, I completed a PhD at Cambridge University in ventricular arrhythmias in genetically modified murine models of arrhythmogenesis and maintain an interest in the management of patients with channelopathies and aborted sudden cardiac death. I was appointed as a Consultant Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital in December 2008. I specialise in the investigation and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and perform catheter ablation of all forms of cardiac arrhythmias using radiofrequency and cryoablation (freezing balloon) technologies. My areas of particular expertise lie in the ablation of atrial fibrillation, complex atrial arrhythmias and atrial tachycardia using 3D mapping techniques, about which I have published a number of articles. I also specialise in the implantation of simple and complex cardiac devices such as pacemakers, defibrillators and biventricular devices. I am the clinical lead in Electrophysiology at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

What people can be referred for

Cardiac Rhythm Management

Any patients with suspected abnormalities of heart rhythm or with pacemakers or defibrillators

Why I chose my specialties

For me, it is by far and away the most interesting area of cardiology. It is a field that is continually evolving and one in which you can make a real difference to patients.

Primary contact

Secretary: Abigail Fry

0300 019 4307

Membership of professional bodies

British Heart Rhythm Society

Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians

General Medical Council

Year of registration

1996

Special clinical interests

Ablation of SVT, complex atrial arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation (AF), atrial tachycardia and ventricular tachycardia (VT).

Implantation of cardiac devices - defibrillators (ICDs), Biventricular devices, pacemakers

Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) and management of patients with familial cardiac conditions with a high risk of SCD.

Publications

  1. Juliá J, Bokhari F, Uuetoa H, Derejko P, Traykov VB, Gwizdala A, Sebag FA, Hegbom F, Anfinsen OG, AlQubbany A, Bardyszewski A, Gul EE, Geleva V, Kirubakaran S, Podd S, Babu GG, Balasubramaniam R, Lim PB, Wright M, Veasey R, Mann I, Hildick-Smith D, McCready J, Silberbauer J.  A New Era in Epicardial Access for the Ablation of Ventricular Arrhythmias: The Epi-Co2 Registry (2021). JACC Clin Electrophysiol. 2021 Jan;7(1):85-96. doi: 10.1016/j.jacep.2020.07.027.
  2. Ding WY, Williams E, Das M, Tovmassian L, Tayebjee M, Haywood G, Martin C, Rajappan K, Bates M, Temple IP, Reichlin T, Chen Z, Balasubramaniam R, Ronayne C, Clarkson N, Mahida S, Sticherling C, Gupta D. Cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation as first line treatment for typical atrial flutter (CRAFT): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial (2020). J Interv Card Electrophysiol. 2020 May 8. doi: 10.1007/s10840-020-00746-6.
  3. Potter T, Herendael HV, Balasubramaniam R, Wright M, Laţcu DG, Agarwal SC, Zhang B, Boo LM, Pani A. Safety and Long-Term Success of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Using THERMOCOOL SMARTTOUCH® Catheter: Real-World Experience (2019). J Atr Fibrillation 2019 Aug 31;12(2):2126. doi: 10.4022/jafib.2126. eCollection 2019 Aug-Sep.
  4. Luther V, Agarwal S, Chow A, Koa-Wing M, Cortez-Dias N, Carpinteiro L, de Sousa J, Balasubramaniam R, Farwell D, Jamil-Copley S, Srinivasan N, Abbas H, Mason J, Jones N, Katritsis G, Lim PB, Peters NS, Qureshi N, Whinnett Z, Linton NWF, Kanagaratnam P. (2019). Ripple AT Study. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2019 Aug;12(8):e007394. doi:10.1161/CIRCEP.118.007394.        
  5. De Potter T., Van Herendael H., Balasubramaniam R., Wright M., Agarwal S.C., Sanders P., Khaykin Y., Latcu D.G., Maury P., Pani A., Hayes J., Kalman J, Nery P. and Duncan E. (2018). Safety and long-term effectiveness of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation ablation with a contact      force-sensing catheter: real-world experience from a prospective, multicentre observational cohort registry. Europace. 2018 Jan 4. doi: 10.1093/europace/eux290.
  6. Luther V., Cortez-Dias N., Carpinteiro L., de Sousa J., Balasubramaniam R., Agarwal S., Farwell D., Sopher M., Babu G., Till R., Jones N., Tan S., Chow A., Lowe M., Lane J., Pappachan N., Linton N. and Kanagaratnam P. (2017). Ripple mapping: Initial multicenter experience of an intuitive approach to overcoming the limitations of 3D activation mapping. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 28: 1285-1294.
  7. Asvestas D., Balasubramaniam R., Sopher M., Paisey J. and Babu G.G. (2017). Extended bipolar left ventricular pacing as a possible therapy for late electrical storm induced by cardiac resynchronization therapy. J Electrocardiol. 50(3):349-352.
  8. Olechowski B., Sands R., Zachariah D., Andrews N.P., Balasubramaniam R., Sopher M., Paisey J., Kalra P.R.(2015). Is cardiac resynchronisation therapy feasible, safe and beneficial in the very elderly? J Geriatr Cardiol. 12(5): 497-501.
  9. Wong K.C., Paisey J.R., Sopher M., Balasubramaniam R., Jones M., Qureshi N., Hayes C.R., Ginks M.R., Rajappan K., Bashir Y., Betts T.R. (2015).  No Benefit of Complex Fractionated Atrial Electrogram Ablation in Addition to Circumferential Pulmonary Vein Ablation and Linear Ablation: Benefit of Complex Ablation Study. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 8(6): 1316-24.
  10. Cappato, R., Marchlinski, F.E., Hohnloser, S.H., Naccarelli, G.V., Xiang, J., Wilber, D.J., Ma, C.S., Hess, S., Wells, D.S., Juang, G., Vijgen, J., Hügl, B.J., Balasubramaniam, R., De Chillou, C., Davies, D.W., Fields, L.E., Natale, A., VENTURE-AF Investigators (2015). Uninterrupted rivaroxaban vs. uninterrupted vitamin K antagonists for catheter ablation in non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Eur Heart J. 36(28): 1805-11.
  11. Bowers,R.W., Beckett, D., Paisey, J.R., Balasubramaniam, R.N., Sopher, S.M. (2015). Successful   release  of  an  entrapped  circular  mapping  catheter  using  a  snare  and  a  multidisciplinary  approach. Kardiologia Polska 73(6): 462.
  12. Bowers, RW, O’Kane, P. and Balasubramaniam, R. (2013). Type 1 Brugada ECG unmasked by intracoronary contrast media. Heart 99; 147-8.
  13. Teh, A.W., Kalman, J.M., Medi, C., Rosso, R., Balasubramaniam, R., Lee, G., Halloran, K., Sparks, P.B., Morton, J.B., Vohra, J.K. and Kistler, P.M. (2010).      Long-term outcome following successful catheter ablation of atrial tachycardia originating from the pulmonary veins: absence of late atrial fibrillation. J. Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 21; 747-50.
  14. Snowdon, R.L., Balasubramaniam, R., Teh, A.W., Haqqani, H.M., Medi, C., Rosso, R., Vohra, J.K., Kistler, P.M., Morton, J.B., Sparks, P.B. and Kalman, J.M. (2010). Linear ablation of right atrial free wall flutter: demonstration of bidirectional conduction block as an endpoint associated with long-term success. J. Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 21; 526-31.
  15. Rosso, R., Teh, A.W., Medi, C., Hung, T.T., Balasubramaniam, R. and Mond, H.G. (2010). Right ventricular septal pacing: the success of stylet-driven active-fixation leads.  Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 33; 49-53.
  16. Haqqani, H.M., Kalman, J.M., Roberts-Thomson, K.C., Balasubramaniam, R.N., Rosso, R., Snowdon, R.L., Sparks, P.B., Vohra, J.K. and Morton, J.B. (2009).        Fundamental differences in electrophysiologic and electroanatomic substrate between ischemic cardiomyopathy patients with and without clinical ventricular tachycardia. J Am Coll Cardiol. 54; 166-73.
  17. Balasubramaniam, R. and Kistler, P.M. (2009). AF and Heart failure: the chicken or the egg? Heart 95; 535-9.
  18. Snowdon, R., Balasubramaniam, R., Haqqani, H., Medi, C. And Kalman, J. (2008). Upper loop reentry post mitral valve repair. J. Cardiovasc. Electrophysiol. 19; 1325-6
  19. Stokoe, K.S., Balasubramaniam, R., Goddard, C.A., Colledge, W.H., Grace, A.A. and Huang, C.L.-H. (2007). Effects of flecainide and quinidine on arrhythmogenic properties of Scn5a+/- murine hearts modelling the Brugada syndrome. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 581; 255-75.
  20. Thomas, G., Killeen, M.J., Gurung, I.S., Hakim, P, Balasubramaniam, R., Goddard, C.A., Grace, A.A. and Huang, C.L.-H. (2007).                                      Mechanisms of ventricular arrhythmogenesis in mice following targeted disruption of KCNE1.  J. Physiol. (Lond.) 578; 99-114.
  21. Head, C.E., Balasubramaniam, R., Thomas, G., Goddard, C.A., Lei, M., Colledge, W.H., Grace, A.A. and Huang, C.L.-H. (2005).  Paced electrogram fractionation analysis (PEFA) of arrhythmogenic tendency in ΔKPQ  Scn5a (Long QT 3) mice.  J. Cardiovasc. Electrophysiol. 16; 1329-40.
  22. Balasubramaniam, R., Chawla, S., Mackenzie, L., Grace, A.A. and Huang, C.L.-H. (2005). Caffeine-induced arrhythmias in murine hearts parallel changes in cellular calcium homeostasis. Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 289; H1584-93.
  23. Balasubramaniam, R., Chawla, S., Mackenzie, L., Grace, A.A. and Huang, C.L.-H. (2004). Nifedipine and diltiazem suppress ventricular arrhythmogenesis and calcium release in mouse hearts. Pflugers Arch. 449; 150-8.
  24. Balasubramaniam, R., Grace, A.A., Saumarez, R.C., Vandenberg, J.I. and Huang, C.L.-H. (2003).  Electrogram prolongation and nifedipine-suppressible ventricular arrhythmias in mice following targeted disruption of KCNE1.  J. Physiol. (Lond.) 552; 535-46.

Research

I am the National Institute of Health Research cardiovascular specialty lead for the Wessex Cardiovascular Local Research Network and the principal investigator for several clinical trials including the ELIMINATE-AF, VENTURE-AF, GLORIA-AF, ENSURE-AF, RIPPLE-AT and AVATAR-AF trials. I have published a number of papers in peer-reviewed journals over the last 20 years (see above) and have been invited to present on a regular basis at national and international conferences. I was one of the first implanters of MRI-safe pacemakers in the UK and the first in the south of England. I am the arrhythmia lead for the Dorset-wide improvement programme for Cardiology services and have drafted the Dorset-wide AF management and palpitations pathways.

Back to top of page