Gathers Case Affected Diagnosis for Lewis : Heart disorder: A cardiologist says there are striking similarities.

A cardiologist who originally examined Reggie Lewis of the Boston Celtics said he would be surprised if a second opinion found Lewis suffering from something other than focal cardiomyopathy.

Physicians at the New England Baptist Hospital in Boston announced Monday that Lewis, 27, was suffering from a heart disorder that threatens his career. Lewis, on the verge of NBA stardom, sought another opinion with cardiologists at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

“I would have concerns and reservations with any other diagnosis or recommendations,” said Mark Estes, an electrophysiologist who tested Lewis last weekend. “It would be foolish to say it’s impossible that we were wrong, but the testing was really conclusive.”

Estes, attending a medical convention in San Diego this week, said Hank Gathers’ case influenced the New England Baptist physicians in their conclusions. Gathers, a Loyola Marymount star, collapsed while playing and died 90 minutes later March 4, 1990. He was found to have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

“It made the decision-making process quite an easy one because the similarities between the cases are quite striking,” Estes said.

Still, Estes said it was interesting that 12 prominent Boston area cardiologists and electrophysiologists came to a consensus that Lewis’ blackout spell in the Celtics’ Eastern Conference playoff opener against the Charlotte Hornets was caused by a heart defect.

“It was expected this group would get together and no consensus would be reached and ultimately the orthopedic surgeon in charge of the case (Boston’s Arnold Scheller) would have to make the call,” Estes said.

“With the group that was assembled, there was real potential for egos to come to the forefront and people not agreeing.”

Tests found that an area at the apex of Lewis’ left ventricle appeared to have scar tissue, Estes said. Lewis fainted after suffering from an arrhythmia, a fast heartbeat, that was triggered by playing. It is not likely that physicians will allow Lewis to return to basketball because the arrhythmia was caused from physical activity.

Estes said no recommendations for treatment have been made, although he is no longer involved in the case. He said the condition could be treated with one of a dozen anti-arrhythmia drugs approved in the United States or with an implantable defibrillator that monitors and controls heart rhythms, beat by beat.