The Algarve University Hospital Center (RAIN) already has Via Verde AVC with Thrombectomy, an innovative treatment in the area of Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA), until now non-existent in the Algarve and which makes the response become level A in the region.
From now on, stroke patients who need thrombectomy will no longer be transferred to Lisbon, which, according to Horácio Guerreiro, clinical director of CHUA, will allow for «more results» and «the recovery of patients is faster ».
«This was a lack and a big gap in the region, because we are a great distance from the big centers and, often, when the patients arrive there, they have already lost the opportunity to be treated – and treated with good results», said the doctor. this Monday, July 3rd, at the presentation ceremony of the new valencia.
In the words of Ana Paula Fidalgo, director of the stroke unit, «this new equipment will change the paradigm of the treatment of patients with stroke» in the Algarve region.
“In the brain, we often say that timing is everything. When we shorten the treatment time, we expect that the results, after three months, will be better than when the patient has much more time to get the treatment», stressed the doctor.
But, after all, in what situations is thrombectomy used?
«The patient enters the hospital, is evaluated by Via Verde AVC, a CAT scan, CAT angiography is performed and if the patient demonstrates a large vessel occlusion in that examination, and the conditions are met, the interventional neuroradiology colleague is immediately called and intervention here», explained Ana Paula Fidalgo to the Sul Informação.
Although the angiographer was already installed in the radiology service of Hospital de Faro since June of last year, it has only now been possible to proceed with the thrombectomy procedure, which requires a specialized team.
Lack of resources continues to be a problem for CHUA. But, in the words of the clinical director, this «is not due to poor management by the CHUA».
«We know how to manage CHUA and we know what culture we want to instil. Unfortunately, we were not able to solve the problems that are part of the country's general policy, which is the lack of doctors, namely in some specialties», Horácio Guerreiro stressed, adding, however, that «technological equipment and clinical differentiation captivate people and that is why that we managed to attract interventional neuroradiologists, among other specialties, to come here».
Vítor Tedim, president of Sociedade Portuguesa de AVC, couldn't be happier to see this procedure advance in the Algarve region.
«What they are achieving here serves the population, but it is also an important aspect in training, in a hospital that wants to be a university, for one of the main pathologies in Portugal, which is cerebrovascular disease. It is a very important step and, taking into account the population they have here, it will mean, on average, one treatment per day», said the doctor.
With this novelty, CHUA's stroke service reaches "the top".
«We are at level A, which means that there is no more from the point of view of stroke treatment. We are going to have a decisive impact, not only on mortality, but on morbidity and disability, which often result from these diseases and which have a lifelong impact on patients and on society itself. It is an important step for the people who live here and who pass through here, which are much more than 500 thousand», stressed Paulo Morgado, president of the Regional Health Administration of the Algarve, who also accompanied the ceremony.
Now, with Via Verde AVC with thrombectomy installed, CHUA intends to reach a new level: recognition as a Stroke Center. And what is a stroke center?
«It is a hospital structure that organizes and coordinates the entire stroke patient circuit, from pre-hospital, intra-hospital and post-hospital. At the moment, we already have some requirements, but we are moving towards having them all», something that will be achieved when thrombectomy becomes available at all times and not just on weekdays, as it happens for now, he also explained to the Sul Informação physician Ana Paula Fidalgo, director of the stroke unit.
Stroke is currently the leading cause of death and permanent disability in Portugal. In 2021, 9613 people died due to strokes.
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