Home for Christmas: Doctors call pastor's stroke recovery a miracle

 Subtitle should have been: 'Doctors failed at laying out a 100% recovery plan and got lucky on his recovery.' Miracles should never have to occur in stroke. You have laid out for you by your doctors and therapists EXACT PROTOCOLS leading to your recovery.

Home for Christmas: Doctors call pastor's stroke recovery a miracle

In addition to his hard work in rehab, doctors said it was crucial that he recognized he was having a stroke and got emergency help.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. —

A local pastor feared he'd never preach again after a massive stroke left him paralyzed.

But, one month later, his doctors at Saint Luke's Rehabilitation Institute are calling him a miracle.

It's a season to celebrate — 71-year-old Chuck Greever will be home for Christmas.

The pastor from Chillicothe, Missouri, said his world was turned upside down by a stroke just two days before Thanksgiving.

"I was very incapacitated," he said, "And I wasn't sure I was going to be able to talk again and move around at all. So I wasn't too sure what was coming."

At nearby Hedrick Medical Center, he immediately got a clot-busting drug.

Then came time for recovery.

For three weeks Greever has been at Saint Luke's Rehabilitation Institute in Overland Park, Kansas where he's amazed everyone — including his wife.

"When the doctors come in and say, 'You know, this has been a miraculous recovery,' I can agree. Totally," Connie Greever said.

Doctors say his positive attitude made a difference.

"You walk in his room and you think, 'This man has had a stroke. He's been through so much at Christmas time.' And then you walk out with a huge smile on your face," Lee said.

In addition to his hard work in rehab, doctors said it was crucial that he recognized he was having a stroke and got emergency help.

Greever said his face drooped and he had trouble swallowing.

Other signs of a stroke include weakness or tingling on one side of your body, double vision or loss of vision in one eye, or loss of balance. If you see these signs, you're urged to call 911 right away.

"They thought that I could be rehabbed, and I was going to do whatever it took, you know, whatever he asked me to do, I was going to do more," Greever said. "And that's just the attitude I had, and it worked out well."

Greever is thrilled to be going home for Christmas. He's promising his doctors and therapists that the next time they see him, he'll be walking on his own.

He has a message to others, "Have faith," he said. "Just hold on, and do the work, and hope for the best."

 

 

Outcome of Rehabilitation Device Driven by Magnetic Force in Stroke Patients

Good luck trying to find this or even anyone in your stroke hospital that knows about it.

 Outcome of Rehabilitation Device Driven by Magnetic Force in Stroke Patients

Ji-Woo Park⋅Min-Su Kim†
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Wonkwang University School of Medicine
Received: September 1, 2020 / Revised: September 1, 2020 / Accepted: October 3, 2020

†Corresponding Author : Min-Su Kim
helmaine@naver.com, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9954-1445
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of
the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits
unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction
in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

 Abstract

PURPOSE:  

This study investigates the therapeutic effect of
a prototype of a hand rehabilitation device based on magnetic
forces.
METHODS: 

Using an electromagnet and permanent
magnets, we developed an end effector type device that
induces various movements of the finger in accordance with
the magnetic field direction. A total of 26 subacute stroke
patients were enrolled and assigned to two groups in this
randomized controlled trial. The intervention group received
30 minutes hand rehabilitation therapy per day for 4 weeks,
using the device developed by us. Conventional physical
therapies were conducted equally twice a day, 30 minutes per
session, during the same period in both groups.
RESULTS: 

After 4 weeks, rate of the Wolf Motor Function
Test as a primary outcome measure showed significant
improvement in the intervention group as compared to control
group(p = .036). Scores of the Manual Function Test and

Fugl-Meyer Assessment of upper limb were also significantly
increased in the intervention group as compared to control
group(p = .038 and p = .042, respectively). Moreover, the
Korean version of Modified Barthel Index tended to improve
after subjecting to physical therapy in both groups.
CONCLUSION: 

Our results indicate that the novel hand
rehabilitation device developed using a magnetic force,
improves the hand motor functions and activities of daily life
in subacute stroke patients.
Key Words: Hand, Rehabilitation, Robotics, Stroke, Upper
extremity

How an unexpectedly fast stroke recovery is possible, according to a stroke survivor

Luck and having a small stroke. I was in at least as good of shape as this guy and I haven't recovered. I know I'm not supposed to compare myself to other survivors. 

How an unexpectedly fast stroke recovery is possible, according to a stroke survivor

Sponsored by Medtronic Neurovascular
By Cindy Coleman for EMS1 BrandFocus
Don Soltis remembers the hard-charging guitar sounds of ZZ Top, and with that, surgeons started an intricate clot-retrieving procedure to save his life. He had suffered a stroke. According to the American Stroke Association, someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds.

Don and Kris Soltis climbed 14,204 feet to reach the tops of Mount Princeton in Chaffee County, Colorado.

Don Soltis with his granddaughters Olivia, Lilah and Allie (from left to right.) (image/ Don Soltis)

But it wasn’t just the clot-retrieving procedure that reduced his potential for long-term disability, it was a combination of quick action by his wife, experienced paramedics, knowledgeable doctors and Soltis’ overall good health.
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, blood and oxygen are cut off to the affected part of the brain killing brain cells. And depending on the affected part of the brain, a person may experience paralysis, slurred language, blurry vision or other problems.
According to the American Stroke Association, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. and is also a leading yet preventable cause of long-term disability.

WAIT, AM I HAVING A STROKE?

Soltis is an avid skier and hiker living in Timnath, Colorado, just outside of Fort Collins. He considers himself a “tech guy,” a senior engineer who designs computer processing units. At the age of 55, lying on an operating table about to undergo a neuro-vascular procedure was the last place Soltis ever expected to be. He was at the University of Colorado UCHealth Stroke and Brain Aneurysm Center, a comprehensive stroke center, but it all started a few hours earlier at his home just before 4:30 a.m.
Soltis remembers looking at the clock radio noting the time and that it was foggy outside. He was trying to get out of bed, not realizing anything was wrong, yet the left side of his body was paralyzed. His rustling around got his wife, Kris’ attention and she asked what was wrong.  “Nothing,” he slurred.  “To me it sounded fine, but to her it was very slurred.”
Kris Soltis reached over and touched him discovering he felt clammy and sweaty. At first, she thought Don Soltis was having a heart attack.
“Kris actually came around to my side of the bed and turned on the light on the nightstand,” said Don Soltis. “She took one look at my face and she knew immediately, ‘Oh, you're having a stroke.’”
One side of Don Soltis’ face was drooping. Not realizing this or that his left side was paralyzed, he kept trying to stand, but then fell to the ground. Kris Soltis called 911 and kept asking him whether he knew that something was wrong.
“I was trying to kneel, get on my knees or sit down on the ground and I couldn't do it. That was super frustrating to me. Internally, I was thinking, why can't I do this?” Don Soltis recalled.
Between flashes of consciousness, Don Soltis remembered the paramedics.
“I noticed they had on blue shirts with the mark and the flag on the side and I thought, ‘This is bad,’” he said.
But with Kris Soltis’ quick action and that of the paramedics, he was off to Poudre Valley Hospital, a primary stroke center, in Fort Collins, Colorado arriving there in less than 10 minutes. At the hospital, Don Soltis remembers having an MRI and hearing the doctor in the background saying, “It's confirmed. It's a stroke.”
When Don Soltis heard the doctor utter those life-changing words, he started thinking the worst. All the people he knew that suffered a stroke had trouble walking and talking and that’s what he pictured for himself.

GETTING COMPREHENSIVE STROKE CARE

Even though Poudre Valley Hospital is a primary stroke center, doctors determined that Don Soltis needed to get to a comprehensive stroke center which provides the highest level of care possible. Normally, he would have been flown by a medical helicopter, but with the early morning fog that he noticed earlier, Don Soltis had to be driven by ambulance. All the while, the seconds were ticking. His cranium carotid artery was blocked by a clot, the blood completely cut off to the right hemisphere of his brain.
At Anschutz Hospital, specially trained surgeons performed a mechanical thrombectomy, a procedure in which doctors thread a catheter through a groin artery to the blocked artery in the brain. The catheter has a wire-cage device on the end called a stent retriever which grabs the clot. It was in the operating room that Don Soltis remembers being asked if he wanted to listen to some music. He gave a weak thumbs up.
He saw a medical attendant respond with another thumbs up, and soon ZZ Top’s La Grange started rocking the operating room.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE STROKE F.A.S.T.

Throughout that Friday morning in April 2017, Don Soltis lapsed in and out of consciousness acknowledging that the whole ordeal was probably a lot harder on his wife than it was on him.
“Everything was changing for her,” said Don Soltis.
The American Stroke Association says to use the letters in “fast” to spot stroke signs and know when to call 911.
F – Face Drooping
Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven or lopsided?
A – Arm Weakness
Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S – Speech Difficulty
Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “The sky is blue.” Is the person able to correctly repeat the words?
T – Time to Call 911
If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and say, “I think this is a stroke” to help get the person to the hospital immediately. Time is important! Don’t delay, and also note the time when the first symptoms appeared. Emergency responders will want to know.

PREVENTING STROKE 

Even as quickly as everyone reacted, Don Soltis lost 15 to 20 percent of his right hemisphere. His recovery is considered remarkable. Don Soltis went into the hospital on Friday and was up walking by Sunday, within 48 hours of his stroke event. His doctors could not find the source of his blood clot – no high cholesterol, no plaque, no damage to arteries, no heart murmur, no smoking and in overall good health.
Don Soltis is an E.S.U.S., the acronym for people who have suffered “embolic strokes with an undetermined source.”
“I think being really healthy played a big factor in being able to get through this quickly and back on my feet,” said Don Soltis. “Kris and I have always been very active. We bike a lot, hike and ski.”

Don and Kris Soltis bike up Vail Pass, a 10,662-foot-high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado, not too long after his stroke. (image/ Don Soltis)

As soon as doctors gave him the go-ahead, he and his wife went biking up Vail Pass, hiking to the top of Vail Mountain and climbing 14ers again – mountains more than 14,000 feet.
Now that Don Soltis had a stroke, he has a 25 percent chance of having another one. The American Stroke Association says stroke is largely preventable and second clot-related strokes may be up to 80 percent preventable. Some of the ways to reduce your stroke risk include living a healthy lifestyle, controlling high blood pressure and not smoking.
Don Soltis is grateful. He realizes the outcome of his stroke could have been much different had it not been for the quick action of his wife, paramedics and doctors.
“Now every time I hear that song, ZZ Top’s La Grange, I remember that was the day they were saving my life,” he said.

In-hospital mortality due to acute stroke continues to decline

What specifically is being done to continue this? Or was this just blind dumb luck? Any hope of stopping the 5 causes of the neuronal cascade of death in the first week? Was there a strategy behind this? 

In-hospital mortality due to acute stroke continues to decline

The rate of mortality among patients hospitalized with acute stroke continues to decrease nationwide, according to a study presented at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting.

“Previously, a downward trend in stroke-related in-hospital mortality was noted from 1996 to 2006, reflecting advancements in acute stroke care,” , professor and chair of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso’s department of neurology, and colleagues wrote.

Cruz-Flores and colleagues sought to determine nationwide trends in in-hospital mortality due to acute stroke between 2007 and 2014 using a nationally representative sample of all hospital discharges in the United States.

The researchers found that during the study period, there was an in increase in overall stroke hospitalizations from 1,017,414 in 2007-2008 to 1,114,960 in 2013-2014. In-hospital deaths related to stroke decreased from 8.98% in 2007-2008 to 7.34% in 2013-2014.

The odds of mortality declined among all stroke types assessed, including ischemic stroke (OR = 0.798; 95% CI, 0.762-0.835), subarachnoid hemorrhage (OR = 0.885; 95% CI, 0.810-0.968) and intracerebral hemorrhage (OR = 0.865, 95% CI, 0.824-0.908), and remained significant after adjustments for age, gender, race, medical comorbidities, in-hospital complications, insurance status and APR-DRG Severity scale.

“The decreasing mortality in patients hospitalized for stroke suggests an improved in-hospital care of stroke patients, which may be a reflection of better and standardized care across all hospitals, from better management of medical problems, such as hypertension and diabetes, to prevention of complications, to better multidisciplinary care during the hospital stay, to the higher utilization of specific treatments for stroke, such as tissue plasminogen activator or mechanical thrombectomy,” Cruz-Flores told Healio Internal Medicine.

“If indeed, the decreasing mortality is a reflection of better care, it behooves the medical community to adopt the protocols of care and guidelines for stroke care to continue to make an impact in outcome,” he added.

“Since the study is based on an administrative database, it lacks specificity as to specific conditions that are not reported in the dataset and that may impact outcome,” he said. – by Alaina Tedesco

Reference:

Afzal MR, et al. Continued nationwide decline in stroke related in-hospital mortality in United States. Presented at: American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting. April 21-27, 2018; Los Angeles.

Disclosure: Healio Internal Medicine was unable to confirm relevant financial disclosures at the time of publication.

Association between subjective risk perception and objective risk estimation in patients with atrial fibrillation: A cross-sectional study

So you can discuss your risk perception vs. your doctors perception of atrial fibrillation risks. Good luck with that. And if your doctor is wrong about the risk coming true then you are the one having the disability, not your doctor. 

Association between subjective risk perception and objective risk estimation in patients with atrial fibrillation: A cross-sectional study

BMJ Open | September 28, 2017

sponsor

Zweiker D, et al. - This study probed into the connection between subjective risk perception and objective risk estimation in patients with atrial fibrillation. The data shed light on eminent variations between patients’ perceptions and physicians’ analyses of the risks and benefits of oral anticoagulation (OAC). The findings recommended paying extra focus to evidence-based and useful communication strategies, with the intention of ensuring shared decision-making and informed consent.

Methods

• This cross-sectional prevalence trial utilized the convenience sampling and telephone follow-up.
• It was carried out at 8 hospital departments and one general practitioner in Austria.
• Patients’ perception of stroke and bleeding risk was opposed to commonly used risk scoring.
• The enrollment consisted of patients with newly diagnosed AF and indication for anticoagulation.
• The main outcome included the comparison of subjective risk perception with CHA₂DS₂-VASc and HAS-BLED scores illustrating the probable discrepancies between subjective and objective risk estimation.
• An association was noted between the patients’ judgement of their own knowledge on AF and education with the accuracy of subjective risk appraisal.

Results

• 91 patients (age 73±11 years, 45% female) were enrolled.
• There was no link between the subjective stroke and bleeding risk estimation with risk scores (ρ=0.08 and ρ=0.17).
• Maximum patients (57%) underestimated the individual stroke risk.
• Patients feared stroke more than bleeding (67% vs 10%).
• No association was observed between accurate perception of stroke and bleeding risks and education level.
• A connection, however, was determined between the patients’ judgement of their own knowledge of AF and correct assessment of individual stroke risk (ρ=0.24, p=0.02).
• The patients experienced the following events: death (n=5), stroke (n=2), bleeding (n=1), during follow-up.
• OAC discontinuation rate regradless of the indication was 3%.

When the Stars Align: Trained Surgeon + New Technology & Early Intervention Save Life of Patient with Hemorrhagic Stroke

No mention of doing anything about the hemorrhage cascade of death.  There should be no amount of luck in any intervention for stroke. The protocols should all be publicly available with efficacy percentages. The goal is 100% recovery for all stroke patients regardless of when  intervention starts. That should be possible when neurogenesis and neuroplasticity are fully understood and documented on how to recovery functionality. Yes these are the BHAGs(Big Hairy Audacious Goals)  problems in stroke. If your doctor and stroke hospital are not trying to solve these they need to be shot.

When the Stars Align: Trained Surgeon + New Technology & Early Intervention Save Life of Patient with Hemorrhagic Stroke

Posted by NICO Corporation Jun 01 2017

  It was a perfectly normal day. Cathy Alexander was starting the new year by visiting her mom in Cleveland—two hours away from her home in Columbus, Ohio. They were having coffee and an enjoyable breakfast before Cathy would start on her way back home. Cathy’s husband, Mike, was traveling in Alabama as part of his typical work demands.
Being away from home on that foggy, rainy winter day on Jan. 12 was not that unusual. Cathy visited her mom quite often. But this trip would end very different from past visits.
“She went to get up from the table and the plate she was holding dropped to the floor,” said Cathy’s mom, Lorre Andryszczyk. “There were no symptoms, no complaints, no signs of anything being wrong. Then she said, ‘I hope I’m not having a stroke.’ I immediately called 9-1-1.”
Cleveland’s mobile stroke unit responded to the call and Cathy had her first brain scan before reaching the hospital that was only minutes away. She arrived at the emergency department awake, but confused and with difficulty speaking and moving the right side of her body.
Cathy had a hemorrhagic stroke with what a Cleveland hospital neurosurgeon called a medium to moderate size hemorrhage located deep in the basil ganglia area on the left side of her brain.
“This is an area where we have typically not been able to do surgery due to the deep location,” the neurosurgeon said. “But Cathy was absolutely the ideal candidate for a new surgical approach we had been using for about two years.”
Before surgery could begin, however, the neurosurgeon would need the approval of Cathy’s husband. Mike recalls the telephone conversation being very direct. “The options were to do nothing or consent to a new kind of brain surgery for stroke using new technology called BrainPath.
“If they didn’t do the BrainPath procedure, I knew the outcome would not be good and this story would have a completely different ending,” Mike said. “So I agreed to the surgery. The nurse promised they would take really good care of Cathy, and I jumped on a plane for Cleveland.”
The neurosurgeon had performed more than 60 surgeries using the BrainPath Approach, a minimally-disruptive kind of brain surgery that uses the NICO BrainPath to access the hematoma by creating a path through the natural folds of the brain to evacuate the clot. More than 5,000 surgical procedures have been performed using the technology, and this local hospital was among the first in the country to have the technology.
“I had very pessimistic thoughts during my time in flight,” Mike remembers. “I didn’t have any experience with stroke, but I knew this was serious. I wondered if I would ever see my wife alive again.”
As with any kind of stroke, time was precious. It was just over two hours after Cathy’s stroke when she was wheeled into the OR. The surgeon said before the availability of BrainPath, patients like Cathy would have been stabilized in the ICU and then a “watch and wait” approach would have been taken to allow the brain to absorb the blood.
“Many times this resulted in a long and drawn out recovery with complications that included brain swelling, possible surgery because of swelling and longer ICU stays,” said the surgeon. “Hemorrhagic stroke, even today, is not considered a surgical disease. But the BrainPath has given us the option to go after this kind of clot.
“We didn’t operate before,” he added. “Five years ago, I would not have operated at all on this kind of stroke. It’s taken us two years of using the system and getting comfortable. Now we’ve seen the results with BrainPath, and it’s really changing our thinking on this.”
Cathy’s surgery was completed in less than two hours. Cathy’s mom said the nurse gave her two thumbs up when they wheeled Cathy out of surgery.
“Cathy immediately smiled at us. She was talking and she recognized us,” Lorre said. “I knew then that my daughter would be fine.”
After surgery, the surgeon said he was really amazed at how well and how quickly Cathy was recovering. “As soon as she woke up, she was brighter and started to speak immediately.
“Hemorrhagic stroke is a very, very difficult disease,” the surgeon said. “Some of the brain is always affected. Recovery of 100 percent is a lofty goal, but certainly, that’s what we are here to do.”
Cathy was in the hospital for nine days and rehabilitation for 17 days. “There hasn’t been one person who hasn’t been impressed and astonished at how well I’m doing,” Cathy said. “People say they don’t even know I’ve had a stroke.”
Mike attributes Cathy’s survival and recovery to a perfect alignment of the stars that day in January. If she wasn’t in Cleveland or if she had already left on the drive from Cleveland to Columbus – it’s nothing short of a miracle, he said.
“There’s no disputing that without the BrainPath procedure, our life would have been completely different – and not in a positive way,” Mike added. “The more I’ve checked into the procedure and talked about it, it’s fascinating to me. I take a look at Cathy today and we’re so blessed.”
Cathy is continuing therapy and goes once a week for rehabilitation. She says they tell her it will take one to two years to reach her plateau. But that’s not what Cathy believes.
“I’m going to set the new norm,” she said. “I’m on the road to normal. I’m living more independently than I thought I would. I’m really grateful for what I have, and it’s only been four months.”
Cathy has healed cosmetically, too. The small, one-inch incision has healed to be invisible, she said.
“As traumatic as this has been, it’s really quite fascinating,” Mike said. “If it happens to a loved one of yours, pray that you’re at a place that can do this for you. Literally, it’s that simple.
“I don’t want to sound cliché, but this technology and the choice to have surgical intervention has to become more available – this just has to become a more accepted procedure.”
For more patient stories on NICO BrainPath visit www.niconeuro.com/patients/.

Hemorrhagic Stroke Clinical Trial

Twenty four healthcare institutions including a prominent Cleveland hospital, are participating in a randomized controlled trial evaluating the clinical effectiveness of early surgical intervention using BrainPath following spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), the deadliest, costliest and most debilitating form of stroke.
The ENRICH (Early MiNimally-invasive Removal of ICH) trial is designed to determine the procedural safety, as well as the economic and functional benefit, of early surgical removal of intracerebral hemorrhage using the BrainPath Approach compared to the medical management standard of care. The BrainPath Approach uses a combination of technologies, including the FDA-cleared NICO BrainPath® or non-disruptive access and NICO Myriad® to achieve the goal of maximum clot evacuation.
The BrainPath device is used to access the hemorrhage site by navigating through the natural folds and fiber tracks of the brain, displacing brain tissue as it creates a corridor to the hemorrhage site and evacuating the clot, all through an opening the size of a dime. Ideal trial candidates are spontaneous supratentorial ICH patients with a good clinical chance of benefiting from the surgical treatment based on well-defined criteria for study enrollment.
This trial will build on current peer-reviewed clinical data on the BrainPath Approach including the results1 of a multi-center pilot study presented at the 2015 International Stroke Conference. The study was on the safety and efficacy of hematoma evacuation using a trans-sulcal surgical approach with BrainPath and showed “statistically significant” improvement in patients’ neurological state associated with early intervention. This improvement was reported in 35 patients at 10 centers with outcomes showing 89 percent clot evacuation and no new surgical deficits or deaths and was cited as a breakthrough in the treatment of hemorrhagic stroke.
“We are hoping this trial is positive so we can be more aggressive about how we care for people with intracerebral hemorrhage,” said Dr. Bain, the principle site investigator for the ENRICH trial. “We deal with this disease so conservatively now, and we can do better. We want to change the paradigm and treatment of this disease. A standardized approach and better technology is really going to help us.”
For more information about the ENRICH trial and to learn more about patient criteria for the trial, visit www.ENRICHtrial.com. Learn more about the NICO BrainPath and its use for accessing hemorrhagic stroke by visiting the website at www.NICOneuro.com. Procedure videos showing atraumatic access with BrainPath can be found on YouTube at NICOneuroCorp.
1Labib M, et al. The safety and efficacy of image-guided trans-sulcal radial corridors for hematoma evacuation: a multicenter study. Late breaking oral presentation LB12 at: 2015 International Stroke Conference; February 11-13, 2015; Nashville, TN.

The 411 on Hemorrhagic Stroke

Hemorrhagic stroke results from a weakened vessel that ruptures and bleeds into the surrounding brain. Studies show that early removal of the blood can potentially mitigate brain injury.1 However, the current standard of care calls for medical management of the patient or a “watch and see” protocol that often allows blood to remain in the brain2. Hemorrhagic stroke (ICH), impacts more than 160,000 people in the U.S. and 3.4 million people worldwide.
The Deadliest Form of Stroke
• Accounts for 10-15 percent of all strokes (or ~1/10)
• Early Mortality (30 days) can be up to 50 percent (30-50 percent)
• Only 20 percent of survivors are functionally independent
*All cited: Adeoye, O. and Broderick, J.P. Nat. Rev. Neurol. 6, 593-601 (2010);published online 28 September 2010; doi:10.1038/nrneurol.2010.146
New Outcomes with BrainPath
• Zero surgical related mortalities
• Immediate, post-procedure improvement in level of consciousness
• 63 percent of patients living functionally independent
(Labib,MA, et al. The Safety and Feasibility of Image-Guided BrainPath-Mediated Transsulcul Hematoma Evacuation: A Multicenter Study, Neurosurgery (2017) 80 (4): 515-524. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1227/NEU.0000000000001316
The National Stroke Association provides educational information about treatments for post-stroke issues through real-life stories. Promotion of these stories does not imply endorsement of any product or service and it is recommended that patients ask a healthcare professional before using any product, medicine, or therapy.

Stroke treatment: Miracle drug limits brain damage and promotes repair

Dr. Heather is late, this came out Nov. 25, 2016.
I bet our fucking failures of stroke associations won't lead the charge to get this into general use. In fact I bet they do absolutely nothing. I wonder if they know which of these 5 causes of neuronal cascade of death this intervention ameliorates? Or was this just pure luck rather than following any sort of strategy? 

Stroke treatment: Miracle drug limits brain damage and promotes repair

By Dr. Heather on January 18, 2017 

Researchers at The University of Manchester have discovered that a potential new drug for stroke treatment reduces the number of brain cells destroyed by stroke and then helps to repair the damage.A reduction in blood flow to the brain caused by stroke is a major cause of death and disability, and there are few effective treatments.A team of scientists at The University of Manchester has now found that a potential new stroke drug not only works in rodents by limiting the death of existing brain cells but also by promoting the birth of new neurons (so-called neurogenesis).

This finding provides further support for the development of this anti-inflammatory drug, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra in short), as a new stroke treatment. The drug is already licensed for use in humans for some conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. Several early stage clinical trials in stroke with IL-1Ra have already been completed in Manchester, though it is not yet licensed for this condition.In the research, published in the biomedical journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity, the researchers show that in rodents with a stroke there is not only reduced brain damage early on after the stroke, but several days later increased numbers of new neurons, when treated with the anti-inflammatory drug IL-1Ra.Previous attempts to find a drug to prevent brain damage after stroke have proved unsuccessful and this new research offers the possibility of a new treatment.Importantly, the use of IL-1Ra might be better than other failed drugs in stroke as it not only limits the initial damage to brain cells, but also helps the brain repair itself long-term through the generation of new brain cells.

These new cells are thought to help restore function to areas of the brain damaged by the stroke. Earlier work by the same group showed that stroke treatment with IL-1Ra does indeed help rodents regain motor skills that were initially lost after a stroke. Early stage clinical trials in stroke patients also suggest that IL-1Ra could be beneficial.The current research is led by Professor Stuart Allan, who commented: “The results lend further strong support to the use of IL-1Ra in the stroke treatment, however further large trials are necessary.”

New drug limits and then repairs brain damage in stroke

I bet our fucking failures of stroke associations won't lead the charge to get this into general use. In fact I bet they do absolutely nothing. I wonder if they know which of these 5 causes of neuronal cascade of death this intervention ameliorates? Or was this just pure luck rather than following any sort of strategy? 

New drug limits and then repairs brain damage in stroke

Researchers at The University of Manchester have discovered that a potential new drug reduces the number of brain cells destroyed by stroke and then helps to repair the damage.

A reduction in blood flow to the brain caused by stroke is a major cause of death and disability, and there are few effective treatments.
A team of scientists at The University of Manchester has now found that a potential new stroke drug not only works in rodents by limiting the death of existing brain cells but also by promoting the birth of new neurones (so-called neurogenesis).
This finding provides further support for the development of this anti-inflammatory drug, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra in short), as a new treatment for stroke. The drug is already licensed for use in humans for some conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. Several early stage clinical trials in stroke with IL-1Ra have already been completed in Manchester, though it is not yet licensed for this condition.
In the research, published in the biomedical journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity, the researchers show that in rodents with a stroke there is not only reduced brain damage early on after the stroke, but several days later increased numbers of new neurones, when treated with the anti-inflammatory drug IL-1Ra.
Previous attempts to find a drug to prevent brain damage after stroke have proved unsuccessful and this new research offers the possibility of a new treatment.
Importantly, the use of IL-1Ra might be better than other failed drugs in stroke as it not only limits the initial damage to brain cells, but also helps the brain repair itself long-term through the generation of new brain cells.
These new cells are thought to help restore function to areas of the brain damaged by the stroke. Earlier work by the same group showed that treatment with IL-1Ra does indeed help rodents regain motor skills that were initially lost after a stroke. Early stage clinical trials in stroke patients also suggest that IL-1Ra could be beneficial.
The current research is led by Professor Stuart Allan, who commented: "The results lend further strong support to the use of IL-1Ra in the treatment of stroke, however further large trials are necessary."
The paper, 'Reparative effects of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in young and aged/co-morbid rodents after cerebral ischemia', was published in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity.

Explore further: Outcome of stroke worse for people with infection

More information: Jesus.M. Pradillo et al, Reparative Effects of Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist in Young And Aged/Co-Morbid Rodents After Cerebral Ischemia, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity (2016). DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.11.013

Journal reference: Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
Provided by: University of Manchester

Participant perceptions of use of CyWee Z as adjunct to rehabilitation of upper-limb function following stroke

Only 12 pages for your doctor to read and update your stroke protocols. A great stroke association would be doing this once for all the doctors and therapists in the world, but instead we have fucking failures of stroke associations You have to hope your doctor is the one who understands this research and updates the protocols correctly. 'How lucky do you feel, Punk?'

Perception DOES NOTHING FOR RECOVERY! What the fuck are the actual recovery statistics?  You're that fucking lousy at being a researcher!

Participant perceptions of use of CyWee Z as adjunct to rehabilitation of upper-limb function following stroke

Leigh A. Hale, PhD;

1*

Jessica A. Satherley, BPhty;

1

Nicole J. McMillan, BPhty;

1

Stephan Milosavljevic, PhD;

1

Juha M. Hijmans, PhD;

2

Marcus J. King, BE

3

1

The REAL Neurology Research Group, Centre for Physiothera

py Research, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zea-

land;

2

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine,

Centre for Rehabilitation, Univers

ity Medical Centre Groningen, Uni-

versity of Groningen, Gron

ingen, the Netherlands;

3

Industrial Research Ltd,

Christchurch, New Zealand

Abstract—

This article reports on the perceptions of 14 adults with chronic stroke who participated in a pilot study to determine the utility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of using an

adapted CyWee Z handheld game controller to play a variety of computer games aimed at improving upper-limb function. Four qualitative in-depth interviews and two focus groups explored participant perceptions. Data were thematically analyzed with the general inductive approach. Participants enjoyed playing the computer games with the technology. The perceived benefits included improved upper-limb function, concentration, and balance; however, six participants reported shoulder and/or arm pain or discomfort, which presented while they were

engaged in play but appeared to ease during rest. Participants suggested changes to the games and provided opinions on the use of computer games in rehabilitation. Using an adapted CyWee Z controller and computer games in upper-limb rehabilitation for people with chronic stroke is an acceptable and potentially beneficial adjunct to rehabilitation. The development of shoulder pain was a negative side effect for some participants and requires further investigation.

Cerebrolysin and Recovery After Stroke (CARS)

Maybe we are finally getting somewhere with the neuronal cascade of death. But they don't mention which of the 5 causes this addresses. So I really think they have no fucking idea what they were doing. Just a lucky shot in the dark. 

Cerebrolysin and Recovery After Stroke (CARS)

A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Multicenter Trial

1. Dafin F. Muresanu, MD, PhD;
2. Wolf-Dieter Heiss, MD;
3. Volker Hoemberg, MD;
4. Ovidiu Bajenaru, MD, PhD;
5. Cristian Dinu Popescu, MD, PhD;
6. Johannes C. Vester;
7. Volker W. Rahlfs, PhD;
8. Edith Doppler, PhD;
9. Dieter Meier, MD;
10. Herbert Moessler, PhD;
11. Alla Guekht, MD, PhD, DMedSci

+ Author Affiliations

1. From the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania (D.F.M.); Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany (W.-D.H.); Department of Neurology, SHR Gesundheitszentrum Bad Wimpfen GmbH, Bad Wimpfen, Germany (V.H.); Department of Neurology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania (O.B.); Department of Neurology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, Romania (C.D.P.); Department of Biometry and Clinical Research, IDV Data Analysis and Study Planning, Krailling, Germany (J.C.V., V.W.R.); Department of Clinical Research, EVER Neuro Pharma GmbH, Unterach, Austria (E.D., D.M., H.M.); Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Genetics, Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow City Hospital No. 8 for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russia (A.G.); and “RoNeuro” Institute for Neurological Research and Diagnostic, Cluj-Napoca, Romania (D.F.M.).

1. Correspondence to Dafin F. Muresanu, PhD, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, ‘‘Iuliu Hatieganu’’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Victor Babes St No. 8, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. E-mail dafinm@ssnn.ro

 

Next Section

Abstract

Background and Purpose—The aim of this trial was to investigate whether stroke patients who receive Cerebrolysin show improved motor function in the upper extremities at day 90 compared with patients who receive a placebo.

Methods—This study was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, parallel-group study. Patients were treated with Cerebrolysin (30 mL/d) or a placebo (saline) once daily for 21 days, beginning at 24 to 72 hours after stroke onset. The patients also participated in a standardized rehabilitation program for 21 days that was initiated within 72 hours after stroke onset. The primary end point was the Action Research Arm Test score on day 90.

Results—The nonparametric effect size on the Action Research Arm Test score on day 90 indicated a large superiority of Cerebrolysin compared with the placebo (Mann–Whitney estimator, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.63–0.79; P<0.0001). The multivariate effect size on global status, as assessed using 12 different outcome scales, indicated a small-to-medium superiority of Cerebrolysin (Mann–Whitney estimator, 0.62; 95% confidence interval, 0.58–0.65; P<0.0001). The rate of premature discontinuation was <5% (3.8%). Cerebrolysin was safe and well tolerated.

Conclusions—Cerebrolysin had a beneficial effect on function and global outcome in early rehabilitation patients after stroke. Its safety was comparable with that of the placebo, suggesting a favorable benefit/risk ratio. Because this study was exploratory and had a relatively small sample size, the results should be confirmed in a large-scale, randomized clinical trial.

Clinical Trial Registration—URL: http://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu. Unique identifier: 2007-000870-21.