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UAE: Man suffers severe stroke; advanced medical technology comes to rescue

He had felt his blood pressure plunge drastically and experienced feelings of dizziness and general fatigue

Harris Babic, a 68-year-old stroke patient, is now back at work, resuming his daily activities, just a few days after completing treatment.

Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha) is giving new hope to patients by offering the latest medical advances in stroke care. Seha said that several cases of cerebral stroke have been treated successfully, helping patients return to their normal lives.

One such case is Babic, an engineer from Bosnia, who arrived at Tawam Hospital after suffering from severe symptoms. He had felt his blood pressure plunge drastically and experienced feelings of dizziness and general fatigue.

After a CT scan was performed, internal bleeding was discovered. To accurately diagnose the patient, a more comprehensive CT angiography was subsequently performed, which revealed that Babic was suffering from a stroke caused by a blockage in the left middle cerebral artery.

Following the scan, he was transferred to Tawam Hospital’s Interventional Radiology Department where he was placed under general anaesthesia. The catheterisation was performed via the patient’s leg to allow access to the femoral artery. The clot was then successfully removed from the left middle cerebral artery.

Dr Jamal Aldeen AlKoteesh, head of radiology and consultant of interventional radiology at Tawam Hospital, said: “Seha is proud to provide cerebral catheterisation using interventional radiology, which is one of the most advanced technologies for the identification and treatment of acute strokes, and in line with the highest international quality standards.”

He added: “This procedure is necessary to deliver the best outcomes for patients as traditional medication does not work in all cases, particularly if a patient arrives three or more hours after having symptoms or if they have experienced a stroke in their sleep. At that point, the only option would be to remove the blood clot by catheterisation.”

The patient was discharged days after the procedure and was in stable condition. He expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Seha medical team at Tawam Hospital for his treatment.

Speaking about the recovery for stroke patients, Dr Hala Abuzeid, critical care consultant and head of Intensive Care Department, Tawam Hospital, has said: “Tawam Hospital has treated many patients who have developed strokes. After the cerebral catheterization procedure, the patient is transferred to our Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where they are monitored. The patient is then given the necessary care to try and restore body functions that were affected by the stroke as much as possible.”

On the occasion of World Stroke Day, which is observed on October 29 every year, Dr Hala stress that a stroke can be prevented by following a few simple steps.

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"To reduce your risk, it is highly recommended to exercise 5 times a week, eat a healthy balanced diet, reduce blood cholesterol, maintain a healthy body weight, quit smoking, and control stress and depression levels.”

How to know you are experiencing a stroke

A simple way to know if you are experiencing a stroke is to use the BE FAST method –Balance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech, and Time.

If someone lost his balance (lack of muscle control, walking problem and NOT dizziness); if someone has a blurred vision or loss of vision in both eyes; if someone is unable to smile on one side of their face, this may indicate hemiplegia; if someone has arm or leg weakness, they may be suffering a stroke; if someone’s speech is slurred and incoherent, this indicates verbal disturbance; and finally, if the patient is suffering from any of these symptoms, then it is time to call an ambulance immediately.