On World Stroke Day, we've heard several moving stories from individuals with lived experience of stroke which put into sharp focus the progress that has been made when it comes to management and the work yet to be done. Below is a summary of recent advances.
Radiology provides one of the best use cases of AI across any industry. Rapid AI and Brainomix are two examples of software solutions that help characterise the location and severity of stroke. These tools support clinical decision making and allow for timely intervention such as mechanical thombectomy and thromobolysis. Stroke centres across the country employ advanced neuroimaging software and research demonstrates that stroke outcomes are better for it.
This is a minimally-invasive procedure where a blood clot in a vessel supplying the brain is retrieved to restore blood flow. Although centres providing this therapy are increasing their operating hours, only 3.3% of stroke patients in England received thrombectomy in 2023. The target in the NHS Long Term Plan is to make this intervention available to 10% of patients with ischaemic stroke.
Only 3.3% of stroke patients in England received thrombectomy in 2023, a third of the national target
Increasing the intensity of stroke rehabilitation also features in the NHS Long Term Plan. Last year the National Clinical Guideline for Stroke recommend that stroke survivors receive 3 hours of therapy at least 5 days per week. Last year’s national audit data indicates that patients receive on average just 22 minutes per day. This is a problem that we’re actively solving with Rewire, an app and medical device that delivers personalised neurorehabilitation. We’re working with two NHS Trusts - soon to be more - and are aware of other innovative approaches being trialed by stroke rehabilitation teams across the country.
Stroke is a therapeutic area that demonstrates how technology can be utilised to maximise patient outcomes. Recently there has been a lot said about the capacity (and willingness) of the NHS to innovate. I hope this provides some reassurance that technology is being adopted at scale and that treatment paradigms are changing. However, the statistics above and more importantly, the individuals behind the numbers indicate that we’re not moving fast enough. It’s back to the lab!