Timely Action Saves 50-year-old Woman from Acute Stroke

CHENNAI, India - Oct. 20, 2015 - PRLog -- The common risk factors for a stroke occurrence include uncontrolled blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, sedentary life, smoking and high cholesterol levels.

Patient Saved from Major Neurological damage:

Recently, doctors at MIOT Hospitals (http://www.miotinternational.com) performed a timely surgery to save a 50-year-old woman, a homemaker and mother of two children from neurological damage.

On a Sunday at 9:30 a.m. a 50-year-old woman experienced a sudden paralysis on the left side of her body. For immediate emergency care she was rushed to the MIOT Hospitals. The MIOT Emergency Team, as part of the protocol, advised a plain CT scan which showed no abnormality. (It is to be noted that CT scan will show brain damage only after 12-24 hours). For further examination she underwent a special study called “CT perfusion/CT angiogram of brain blood vessels”. The results of this study could be interpreted within 5 min and it did identify a large area of potential damage in the right half of the brain with completely blocked the blood vessel on the right-side.

A call for immediate action was deployed, knowing the fact that if the blocked blood vessel is opened and brain blood supply is restored within 3 to 6 hours, there is a chance to reverse the damage. The team of doctors did not delay a second to proceed with their treatment. Within minutes the patient was shifted to the Neuro-catheterisation Laboratory and an angiogram was performed by the endovascular specialist (Interventional Neuroradiologist). The angiogram showed that the blood supply to the entire right brain was blocked.

Stent Retriever:

Using a special device called as stent retriever, the block was reopened within the next 30 minutes, the patient was freed from clot and blood supply was restored to her brain. The stent retriever was passed from the blood vessel in the groin into the blood vessel in the brain. The retriever grabbed the clot and it was mechanically pulled out.

Normalcy within 48 hours:

The patient was then shifted to the neurocritical care unit and given supportive care. Within 48 hours she made a dramatic recovery and her motor power improved 60%, indicating that irreversible damage had been prevented. Within two weeks she made a complete recovery from her neurological illness. The repeat CT scan confirmed that brain damage has been totally averted.

Acting early and choosing the correct medical center is the mantra

It is now evident that early intervention and acting immediately is definitely a revolutionary way to treat strokes. Had the woman reached MIOT hospitals 6 hours later nothing much could have been performed except supportive care in the ICU.

In July 2015, the American Stroke Association and American Heart Association recommended that stent retrievers should be used to remove major blood clots in the brain blood vessel within the window period.

MIOT Hospitals has a dedicated STROKE EMERGENCY UNIT (http://www.miotinternational.com/key-specialities/neurolo...) managed by a team of neurologists, neurosurgeons and interventional radiologists who work together as a team for best possible outcomes for all stroke related cases.