Expanded stroke service in Nelson means faster response for patients
By Contributor
When a patient is facing a stroke, every minute counts.
Twenty-four/seven CT coverage and the combined efforts of Kootenay Lake Hospital physicians, staff and Interior Health now mean thrombolytic (clot buster) stroke care is available locally for Nelson and area patients.
“Strokes can have devastating impacts on patients and families but timely access to treatment can make a big difference in patient outcomes,” said Health Minister Terry Lake in a IH media release.
“This expanded service is great news for patients in the Nelson area who facing certain kinds of stroke as it means they will now be able to receive initial treatment more quickly and closer to home.”
Thrombolytics or clot busters can be highly effective in mitigating the impact of an ischemic stroke in a select group of patients if administered within four and a half hours of the onset of symptoms.
An ischemic stroke is created by a blockage which prevents blood from reaching the brain, depriving it of oxygen. The quick administration of thrombolytics breaks down blood clots in the brain and allows oxygen flow to resume, potentially preventing brain damage and even death.
“This added service provides faster access to this type of stroke care, creating opportunities for better outcomes for the patients we serve in Nelson and its surrounding communities,” said IH Board Chair Erwin Malzer.
Before Oct. 27, the only thrombolytic site in the Kootenay Boundary was at the regional stroke centre at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in Trail.
Nelson patients may still go to Trail for comprehensive stroke care, but the establishment of thrombolysis capabilities at Kootenay Lake Hospital means Nelson area patients will receive initial clot buster care more quickly and opens up this important treatment for stroke patients in rural areas who previously might not have reached Trail in time for the treatment to be effective.
“Our department, in becoming a thrombolysis enabled site, can now offer a broader range of treatment options to patients with acute stroke,” said Dr. Rahul Khosla, head of the emergency department at Kootenay Lake Hospital.
“This is welcome news for our community and our patients.”
Thrombolytics are not effective in all stroke cases, so a CT and clinical assessment are required to determine if clot busters are the right choice in each case.
Broader improvements also cover IH sites in New Denver, Nakusp and Kaslo, ensuring physicians and staff there have the tools and systems, including revised transport protocols, in place to get appropriate patients to Nelson for care in a timely manner.
“Not everyone can receive the clot busting treatment and not everyone who does can benefit from it, but it is life changing for those who do,” said Lori Seeley, IH regional stroke lead.
“With these improvements we have an excellent system in place in Nelson and our smaller area sites to ensure improved intervention for patients facing strokes.”
