Abu Dhabi: The Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (CCAD) is now offering stroke patients an advanced interventional system that combines imagine with artificial intelligence.
The ARTIS Icono incorporates 2D and 3D imaging, and its use can be potentially life-changing, the hospital said in a statement on Friday.
“With victims of ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, timing is crucial.Minutes count. Typically, we aim for a maximum of about six hours from symptom onset to perform what is called a neuro-thrombectomy, a procedure that dissolves the clot in a patient’s brain. This new system makes that process much faster and more precise, which will save lives,” said Dr Khalil Zahra, chief of neuro-interventional surgery in the hospital’s Neurological Institute.
In traditional stroke intervention, the patient begins with a CT scan, and surgeons review imaging manually before operating to dissolve the blood clot. The ARTIS Icono transforms this process using artificial intelligence to deliver unparalleled image quality and reconstruction in real-time. Surgeons can skip a CT scan and begin treatment immediately. This saves precious time, gives surgeons far better visibility, and exposes the patient to less harmful radiation.
“According to the World Health Organisation, one in four people run the risk of having a stroke in their lifetime. In the UAE, about 25 percent of UAE adults have hypertension, which puts our population at greater risk of having a stroke. Here, stroke is the leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death. It has never been more crucial to have the most innovative technology available for treating patients. This highly sophisticated system will ultimately help us give stroke victims the finest care in the world and the best possible chance of recovery,” Dr Zahra said.
The ARTIS Icono is one of many technological innovations that CCAD, recently ranked the top smart hospital in the region by Newsweek, is using to bring patient care into the future.
The new system will be housed at the Neurological Institute’s Neurovascular Medicine Programme and Stroke Center, which offers a full range of the latest diagnostic and treatment options for patients with stroke and other cerebrovascular conditions.
In honour of World Stroke Day on October 29, CCAD is also encouraging the community to learn the signs of stroke using the acronym F.A.S.T. – because minutes can save lives: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 998.
