Saving Lives With New Stroke Technology

Strokes are never a good thing. You lose blood flow to the brain, but for those who suffer a brain attack... there's new cutting edge technology in the Coastal Empire. It will be an added plus for rural communities. "This is going to allow treatment options to begin as soon as possible so that hopefully we can prevent an adverse long term effect on the patient," says Paul Hinchey. This demonstration shows an exchange between St. Joseph's/Candler Dr. Frank LaFranchise and nurse and patient at Effingham hospital. Via the internet the doctor can hear and see the patient in real time and is able to give an exam. "I could be in 3 or 4 different emergency rooms in one night examining 3 or 4 different patients," says Dr. LaFranchise. A lot happens in a short period of time... just like a face to face hospital visit. The checklist... history of symptoms, eye movement, and sensation of both sides of the body. After reviewing lab work, the doctor can read scans of your brain miles away to determine whether to treat the patient with a drug called TPA to minimize disability. "Tissue Plasminogen Activator has been shown to increase the probability of normal or good outcomes by around 40%. A tremendous positive benefit, but this drug has to be given quickly. It has to be given within 3 hours of onset of symptoms," says Dr. LaFranchise. Dr. Lafayette Burks says he see patients with paralysis often. He thinks this new stroke program will make a huge difference for Wayne County. "In that they no longer get penalized for living in rural Georgia if they have a stroke. They can get the same care almost immediately that you would get in a larger city and that is a fantastic benefit," says Dr. Burks. Most strokes don't hurt, but pain usually drives people to the hospital. If you wait you're out of that 3 hour time limit. Time is brain. "Outcome is improved to a tremendous extent and it the stroke deficits are smaller rehab will be that much easier and better,” says Dr. LaFranchise. The technology was developed by Augusta based Reach Call, Inc. Six rural hospitals will be able to have their patients diagnosed by Neurologists in Savannah. They are Effingham Hospital, Wayne Memorial in Jesup, Meadows Regional in Vidalia, Appling Healthcare System in Baxley and Coffee Rregional Medical Center in Douglas.