Mass. Hospitals Try Out Remote Stroke Diagnosis
Many rural patients across America get access to diagnoses or therapy from remote hospitals thanks to telemedicine. But such procedures are still rare to diagnose stroke patients, though they would benefit from the help of brain surgeons who are not always on call when emergencies occur. Among the few examples of facilities leading with remote stroke treatment, the Massachusetts General Hospital serves 14 community hospitals in the state and is considering expanding its “telestroke” offering to neighbor states, while start-up Brain Saving Technologies has several customers too.
Stroke, most often caused by blood clots in brain vessels, is the third cause of death in the US. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) can dissolve these clots but must be given within hours and in some cases can make patients die from brain bleeding. Without access to the expertise of a neurologist interpreting a CT scan of the patient’s brain, ER doctors fear they might use this drug against indications. The Boston Globe reports.
April 4, 2006 Related topics: New Technology & Innovation, Imaging, Diagnostic, Psychiatry & Neurology, Emergency