Hyper acute treatments
Thrombolysis
For patients who have had an ischaemic stroke and arrive within four and a half hours, they may be eligible for thrombolysis ‘clot busting’ medications. This is given intravenously (straight into the vein) and tries to break up the clot blocking the blood supply.
Thrombectomy
Mechanical thrombectomy is a treatment to remove clots that block large blood vessels. Some patients may be able to have this procedure using an angiogram or a catheterization using a special a device that grabs clots and removes them, to re-establish blood flow to the brain.
Unfortunately, not everyone can have a mechanical thrombectomy as it can only be given to a patient who has a large vessel that’s blocked.
Our thrombectomy service is currently available seven days a week between 9:00am and 5:00pm.
Anticoagulant reversal
This is a treatment for haemorrhagic stroke patients who have been taking anticoagulation medications and need emergency reversal.
Hemicraniectomy
A decompressive craniectomy is brain surgery that removes a portion of the skull.
When the brain swells following an injury, the pressure in the brain can build inside the skull causing further damage.
The body’s natural healing response to injury is to swell. However, swelling in the brain can be dangerous because the skull restricts the swelling and pushes on the brain.
Removing a portion of the skull can reduce the risk of severe brain damage, and may even be life-saving.
Find out more about stroke treatments on the Stroke Association website:
Stroke Association – stroke treatments
