Introduction to Remote Stroke Treatment
Doctors from Scotland and the US have carried out what is believed to be the world’s first stroke procedure using a robot. The procedure, known as remote thrombectomy, involves the removal of blood clots following a stroke. This groundbreaking technology has the potential to transform stroke treatment, especially for patients in remote or rural areas.
The Procedure
The procedure was performed by Prof Iris Grunwald from the University of Dundee on a human corpse that had been donated to medical science. The professor was at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, while the body she operated on with the machine was at a university facility. Hours later, a neurosurgeon in Florida used the technology to perform the first transatlantic operation on a human body from his base in Jacksonville, more than 4,000 miles away.
Potential Impact
The team has called it a potential “game changer” if it is approved for use in patients. Doctors believe this technology could transform stroke treatment, as delays in access to specialist care can have a direct impact on the chances of recovery. The University of Dundee is the global training center of the World Federation for Interventional Stroke Treatment and the only place in the UK where doctors can operate on cadavers using a fluid that mimics human blood circulating in the vessels.
How the Technology Works
An ischemic stroke occurs when an artery is blocked by a blood clot. As a result, the blood and oxygen supply to the brain is interrupted, brain cells lose their function and die. The best treatment is a thrombectomy, in which a specialist removes the clot using catheters and wires. The robot can be connected to the same catheters and wires a surgeon would normally use, and a paramedic who was with the patient could simply attach the wires. The surgeon could then hold and move his own wires at a different location, and the robot would then perform the exact same movements on the patient in real time to perform the thrombectomy.
The Future of Stroke Treatment
The technology has the potential to address the inequality that exists in stroke care across the UK. There are only three locations in Scotland where patients can receive the procedure: Dundee, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. If you don’t live there, you have to travel. The treatment is very time-critical, and every six-minute delay reduces the chance of a good result by 1%. This technology would now offer a new option where you are not dependent on where you live – saving the precious minutes in which your brain would otherwise die.
Statistics and Next Steps
Public Health Scotland said there were 9,625 ischemic strokes in Scotland last year. Only 212 – or 2.2% of all patients – received a thrombectomy, while 1,045 people received medication to burst the blood clots. The team now hopes to take part in clinical trials next year. The technology has the potential to make expert stroke treatment accessible to everyone, regardless of their location. With the involvement of tech giants Nvidia and Ericsson, the project is well on its way to making remote stroke treatment a reality.
