Doctors examine a stroke victim. (Source: Tuoi Tre)
Nang (VNA) – Hundreds of stroke victims hospitalised in the Da
Nang General Hospital over the past three years were saved by a special task
force for , the Tuoi Tre (Youth) Newspaper reported.
The
task force examines anyone arriving at the hospital with symptoms of a stroke,
and gives first aid.
The
patient is then classified as an “urgent case”, enabling a speeded up
administrative process so doctors can race to save the patient’s life, hospital
director Dr Tran Ngoc Thanh told the newspaper.
Proper
first aid is essential, the doctor said.
Experience
shows that the first three hours after a stroke are the crucial ones for
getting life-saving treatment, but most victims arrive at the hospital after
experiencing the symptoms, such as numbness, difficulty speaking and vertigo,
he added.
According
to the hospital director, the task force was formed three years ago and
consists of 10 doctors.
“The
whole process of diagnosing, giving first aid, conducting tests and deciding on
proper treatment will take about 40-60 minutes,” said doctor Duong Quang Hai,
one of the team members.
If
they are treated in time, “most stroke patients resume normal lives after one
month of treatment in the hospital,” Hai said.
“We
are always racing against time because every minute that passes reduces the
patient’s chances of survival,” he said.
The
doctors have also instituted several new treatment methods for stroke patients.
“Before,
about 70-80 percent of patients with a stroke caused by a blood clot in brain
vessels would die or remain disabled,” said doctor Le Duc Nhan.
“Since
earlier this year, the hospital has a new method of removing blood clots from
the brain vessels,” Nhan said, “giving many patients a chance of survival.”
According
to the , about 200,000 people in Vietnam suffer
strokes each year. Half die, a decrease of about 20 percent compared with 10
years ago.
Experts
say stroke treatment in the country is difficult due to limited hospital
infrastructure and lack of knowledge on the part of victims.
While
the number of deaths has dropped, the number of those remaining disabled was on
the rise.
In
fact, about 90 percent of patients suffer after effects, the severity of which
depends on when they were hospitalised and how they were treated.
Da
Nang General Hospital is one of ten hospitals nationwide providing emergency
intervention and treatment for strokes. But most hospitals nationwide still
lack modern equipment for diagnosis and treatment.-VNA
Source: VietnamPlus
