Stroke patients to benefit from enhanced technology
Stroke patients will benefit from quicker and more accurate treatment thanks to a state-of-the-art scanner at The Royal London Hospital.
Using cutting-edge technology, the Philips biplane angiogram machine will provide clinicians with clearer and more detailed images of blood clots which cause strokes, while using less radiation, improving patient outcomes and experience.
The biplane is the first of its kind in the UK and will further bolster the hospital’s 24/7 mechanical thrombectomy service, which receives patients needing stroke care from across northeast London, Kent, East of England, and Cambridge.
Mechanical thrombectomy is a minimally invasive procedure in which an interventional neuroradiologist uses specialised equipment to remove the obstructing blood clot from arteries within the brain. This treatment is offered to patients who have certain types of acute stroke and is dependent on the stage at which the patient presents at the hospital.
Specialist clinicians at The Royal London have treated more patients using mechanical thrombectomy than any other hospital since the service’s inception in 2020, and they use this type of medicine for more than 10% of stroke patients, which is higher than the national target.
Every minute counts in stroke treatment, and this round-the-clock service has prevented hundreds of stroke patients from suffering serious brain damage, with nearly half of patients treated at the Royal London regaining full independence following their procedure within 90 days - far surpassing the national target of 33%.
Dr. Levansri Makalanda, Consultant in Interventional Neuroradiology, said: “Mechanical thrombectomy is one of the most powerful treatments in medicine and a massive benefit to patients with large strokes. Our new biplane will enable faster and more precise treatments, giving our patients a better quality of life.”
Zina Etheridge, Chief Executive, NHS North East London, said: "This is an exciting step forward in our drive to improve outcomes for stroke patients in north east London and beyond. It also marks the continued partnership working between Barts and BHRUT – delivering a more resilient service model for patients."
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