Know The Signs Of Stroke To Get Treatment Within Window Period – 
A window period of 4.5 hours after symptom onset is very crucial for the stroke patients. BE FAST in spotting a stroke.
A 65-year-old woman in Mumbai made a miraculous recovery after she suffered from acute ischemic stroke. The doctors who treated her said that they were able to save her as she reached the hospital within ‘window period’ after the onset of stroke.
For stroke patients, “time lost is brain lost,” said the doctors at Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road, Mumbai, where the woman was admitted. They highlighted the importance of recognizing the signs of stroke and receiving treatment within the window period (4.5 hours after symptom onset) to avoid brain damage and disability.
The patient, Reena Sharma (name changed), reached the hospital after 50 minutes of the onset of stroke.
Know The Signs Of Stroke To Get Treatment Within Window Period
On February 26, Reena Sharma (name changed), the 65-year-old resident of Mira Road, developed a sudden onset of left-sided weakness, speech difficulty and went into a semi-conscious state. Her family members suspected a stroke and took her to a general practitioner. Later, she was referred to Wockhardt Hospital for further treatment.
A team headed by Dr Pavan Pai, Consultant Interventional Neurologist, Wockhardt Hospital, performed a successful direct mechanical thrombectomy procedure on her, giving her a fresh lease of life.
The doctors urged people to be alert of the signs of stroke to get prompt medical treatment. They added B.E. F.A.S.T. in spotting a stroke.
B Trouble with balance
E Eye vision loss
F Facial weakness
A-Arm weakness
S- Speech difficulty
T Reach a nearby hospital with stroke care facilities in time.
Treatment for acute ischemicstroke
Talking about the case of Reena, Dr Pai said, “On arrival in an emergency, the patient was in a semi-conscious state, couldn’t move her left side of body or speak. Her CT Angio showed complete occlusion of the basilar artery at the back of the brain due to which she had left-sided weakness. Her MRI also indicated acute ischemic stroke. The patient was taking a blood thinner (anticoagulant) for mitral valve replacement (MVR) for 20 years and it was not advisable to administer IV thrombolysis as it would have led to bleeding in the brain. The anticoagulant resistance could have resulted in a blood clot that migrated from the heart and caused occlusion or the blockage of the basilar artery supplying to the back of the brain. She was at a greater risk of having a bigger stroke which could have been life-threatening. Hence, she was advised to undergo direct mechanical Thrombectomy on an urgent basis.”
He added, “The patient was taken to the Cath lab. I went through the groin artery with the help of a catheter and then reached the basilar artery at the back of the brain, sucked the clot in the artery and opened the clogged artery. The patient reached the hospital after 50 minutes of the onset of stroke, and the artery was completely opened at 5 hours from the onset and post-procedure the patient became conscious, could speak, and moved all 4 limbs.”
Window period for doing mechanical thrombectomy
According to Dr Pai, the window period for doing mechanical thrombectomy is 6 hours when a stroke occurs due to large artery occlusion in the front part of the brain and 12 hours in the back part of the brain.
“Direct Mechanical Thrombectomy is similar to Primary Angioplasty in Myocardial Infarction (PAMI) for heart attack and is safely performed on patients taking anticoagulants or those in the immediate post-operative state where IV thrombolysis should not be performed. Since the patient reached within the window period, and the clogged artery was opened in time, there was no disability and her life could be saved,” the doctor explained.
The patient was discharged from the hospital on March 5. Now, she can walk and speak, and has resumed her daily routine.
