CHENNAI: In a first, Apollo Hospitals launched a comprehensive stroke centre on Friday with a stroke network called the Apollo Stroke Net-a hub and spoke model with primary stroke centres at Tondiarpet, Kilpauk and Teynampet. The centre will have a MASTER (Multidisciplinary Apollo Stroke Cure) team.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the country. A recent study states, 84-262 per 100,000 persons in rural India and 334-424 out of 100,000 population in cities suffer strokes. Strokes can leave a patient immobile, cause difficulty in communication and vision problems and may leave the patient paralysed temporarily. If not treated properly, a stroke can leave them paralysed for life.
“If treated within the first five to six hours, there is a chance that the patients will have 60 to 80 per cent recovery. So time is precious when it comes to strokes. Which is why we are encouraging the public to make use of our emergency line 1066 for immediate care,” said Srinivasan Paramasivam, consultant neurosurgeon.
He also explained the process of mechanical thrombectomy, which includes inserting a catheter into the brain to remove the blood clot.” This process only takes four to five minutes and provides immediate benefits to the patient,” he added.
Apollo Hospitals Chairman, Prathap C Reddy, said the brain is estimated to lose 19 lakh neurons every minute which is why thrombectomy should be done at the earliest, “Only within the first few hours it is effective or the patient can have life-long impact,” he explained. Paramasivam also said, in India most people were not aware of the symptoms and take time to respond creating irreparable damage. “Fast facial drooping, arms weakening, speech slurring are all indications of stroke,” he said.