Top 10 Medical Innovations according to the Cleveland Clinic (1)
Specialists of the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, have compiled another annual list of innovations that, in their opinion, will have the greatest impact on the healthcare system in the coming 2015.
No. 1. Mobile installations for stroke therapy
About 800,000 people have a stroke every year in the United States. The reason for this is a blockage or rupture of the artery wall supplying blood to the brain, and subsequent internal bleeding.
In ischemic strokes, the trigger of the pathological process is a clogged artery thrombus, whereas in the remaining 10% of cases, known as hemorrhagic strokes, the cause is a rupture of a blood vessel aneurysm.
Among the causes of death, stroke ranks fourth in the United States and first in many countries of the world. Despite the fact that many people experience even multiple episodes of stroke, very often this leads to disability, including speech disorders, as well as motor and cognitive functions.
In 1996, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a drug for resuscitation therapy of ischemic stroke – tissue plasminogen activator, or r-tPA. This drug quickly dissolves a blood clot, restoring blood circulation, minimizing damage to brain tissue and reducing the risk of irreversible disorders.
The earlier the drug r-tPA is introduced, the more effective it is, since, according to experts, up to two million brain cells die every minute after a stroke. However, the problem is that only 2-7% (according to US statistics) of patients receive an injection of a life-saving drug.
To improve the results of stroke treatment, some clinics in Germany and the USA use specially equipped ambulances equipped with all the equipment necessary for an urgent assessment of the patient's condition and the urgent initiation of therapy.
A portable CT scanner allows you to get images of the damaged brain within 2 minutes, which, using 4G technology, are sent to the clinic by the neurologist and neuroradiologist on duty for interpretation and clarification of the diagnosis. After that, doctors prescribe emergency therapy and direct its implementation through a telecommunications device. Only after that the patient is transported to the most suitable clinic for his case.
Thanks to the work of such specialized intensive care units, patients receive r-tPA injections in the shortest possible time, which in many cases helps them to fully recover after a stroke.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the Cleveland Clinic: Top 10 Innovations for 2015.
11.12.2014