Unit to improve stroke care

Increased numbers of people suffering strokes in Kerry are expected to survive the medical condition because of a new improved service at Kerry General Hospital in Tralee.

The 24/7 service came in to effect this week.

The hospital admits about 200 stroke patients annually.

Specialised staff will administer thrombolysis, a potentially life-saving clot-busting treatment to stroke patients, leading to substantially improved results for patients, according to doctors.

Patients will be managed by a multidisciplinary team of professionals including doctors, nurses, radiologists, and radiographers with enhanced access to CT scanning if necessary.

Dr John McManus, consultant in geriatric and stroke medicine at the hospital, said the treatment allows for a seamless transition between acute care and rehabilitation.

“This is due to the timely nature of the intervention. This new service is the first step towards establishing a formal stroke unit at the hospital which should come to fruition later in 2012.”

The hospital’s clinical director, Dr Richard Liston, said the new service would ensure more patients survived strokes and return home, rather than being transferred to institutional care, as a result of receiving the life-saving drug in a timely manner.

“In addition, patients will have less disability when they return home and spend less time in hospital.

“We envisage the total number of bed days used by patients with acute stroke will decline significantly with the introduction of this new service,” he said.

Strokes kill more than 2,000 people a year in Ireland.