SOLAN, Sep 26: A 54-year-old female from Solan, who suffered an acute ischemic stroke, was successfully treated with advanced mechanical thrombectomy at Livasa Hospital, Mohali recently.
Giving information during a press conference at Solan on Saturday, Dr. Vineet Saggar, director– neuro & spine surgeon and head–neuro interventions at Livasa Hospital Mohali said that the patient was brought with symptoms suggestive of an acute stroke.
The detailed imaging identified a major blockage in a blood vessel supplying the brain. Considering the nature of the stroke and the patient’s clinical condition, the medical team proceeded with mechanical thrombectomy, a minimally invasive endovascular procedure in which a specialised device is guided through the blood vessels to reach and remove the clot obstructing blood flow to the brain, informed Dr Saggar.
The successful removal of the clot restored blood flow to the affected area of the brain, following which the patient showed significant improvement in speech and movement within hours.
Dr. Saggar explained that mechanical thrombectomy has transformed the treatment of selected patients with large-vessel occlusion strokes. He emphasised that stroke is a medical emergency where every minute matters, and timely recognition, rapid imaging and immediate referral to an appropriately equipped stroke centre can significantly influence outcomes.
Dr. Saggar also introduced a ‘Namaste’protocol which is a simple, action-based approach designed to help families and bystanders recognise possible stroke symptoms quickly.
Drawing on the familiar Indian gesture of ‘Namaste’, the approach encourages people to observe key neurological functions through simple actions such as folding both hands, smiling and speaking, looking left and right, and standing up.
Difficulty performing any of these actions such as one arm dropping, facial asymmetry, slurred speech, abnormal eye movement or loss of balance, should be treated as a warning sign requiring immediate medical attention, informed Dr Saggar.