Intra Arterial Thrombolysis for Ischemic Stroke Treatment in India

David Shah, a 58-year-old accountant and...

David Shah, a 58-year-old accountant and avid tennis player, was in the middle of his morning routine when his world tilted. His right arm went completely limp, dropping his coffee mug, and his speech became a slurred, incomprehensible garble. His wife, recognizing the signs of a stroke, called 911 immediately. At the hospital, a CT scan confirmed a large clot blocking a major artery in the left side of his brain, threatening his ability to speak, write, and use his dominant hand. Time was brain. The neurosurgeon, Dr. Chen, explained that David was within the critical window for Intra-Arterial Thrombolysis, a procedure where a catheter would be threaded from his groin up to the clot in his brain to deliver clot-busting medication directly. Terrified of permanent disability, David agreed. During the procedure, he was sedated but aware of the intense focus in the room. He felt a strange pressure but no pain. Post-procedure, in the Neuro ICU, he was exhausted but hopeful. Over the next 48 hours, in a dramatic turnaround, the slur in his speech began to clear. With aggressive rehabilitation, he regained nearly full strength in his arm. Six months later, he was back on the tennis court, his swing slightly altered but his spirit intact. His emotional journey spiraled from the sheer terror of losing himself to an overwhelming gratitude for the technology and team that gave him his life back.