Despite its problems and weaknesses, the NHS continues to save lives, thanks to its experienced and specialized scientific staff, which remains at the cutting edge of medical technology. A week ago, doctors saved a 15-year-old girl who suffered an acute stroke, thanks to a pioneering operation.

The lucky little patient in her misfortune was being treated for another reason in an Athens hospital and suddenly in the middle of the night she lost the ability to move her right arm and leg and could not speak. The diagnosis was immediate: cerebral artery occlusion, a critical situation that required immediate treatment.

It was transferred urgently at the Center for Interventional Treatment of Strokes, which operates in collaboration with the Aeginetio, Aretaeio and Alexandra hospitals. The girl’s condition was critical. However, the specialized interdisciplinary team is prepared for such situations and everything developed according to the treatment protocols: the neurology team of Aeginetio under the auspices of Mrs. S. Vassilopoulos, Assistant Professor of Neurology, welcomed the young patient to the emergency department. The patient underwent thrombectomy operation which was carried out directly at the Radiology Department of the Aretaio hospital.

In just 15 minutes, the clot was removed from the cerebral artery. The result was impressive: The symptoms subsided immediately, the young patient was able to move the right side of the body and speak in the operating room, creating satisfaction and excitement for the entire scientific team.

The operation was carried out by the team of Mr. P. PapanagiotouAssociate Professor interventional radiologist and Mr. N. Tsamopoulosscientific associate of the Interventional Radiology unit and Director of the Interventional Neuroradiology department of the Mediterraneo Hospital, under the anesthesia coverage of Mrs. A. Tympa, Adjunct Physician of the Anesthesiology Clinic of the Aretaei ​​hospital.

Particularly moving was the moment when her family, after the operation, saw the little girl coming back, moving and talking like before. Within days, she was back at home as if nothing had happened, eagerly awaiting her return to school and friends.

This incident highlights the importance of quick and effective medical intervention in stroke. Thrombectomy, a medical procedure that removes clots from blood vessels, has proven lifesaving. It is a critical intervention in selected patients experiencing acute stroke and is effective when performed quickly, usually within the first few hours after the onset of symptoms.

Mr. Papanagiotou stated that “stroke and the need for such interventions in children are fortunately rare, but this means that the diagnosis often comes too late. Fortunately, in this case, everything went perfectly – from the recognition of the symptoms and the diagnosis to the treatment itself, culminating in this excellent result. Our team is very proud of what we have achieved here. It is a clear testament to the level of care and expertise we provide at our Centre.”

The Center has been operating for more than 2 years by a specialized Interdisciplinary team of the three hospitals, it operates under the coordination of Mr. P. Papanagiotou, Associate Professor and interventional neuroradiologist, Mr. D. MitsikostaProfessor of Neurology, Mr. S. VassilopoulouAssociate Professor, E. Koromokis, Pathologist specialized in the treatment of stroke.

The collaboration includes University hospitals Aeginetio and Aretaeio (President Prof. K. Tsioufis) and the G.N.A. Alexandra and especially the University Clinics/Laboratories of EKPA: the 1st Neurology Clinic (Director Prof. L. Stefanis), the 1st Radiology Laboratory (Director Prof. L.E. Moulopoulou, Head of Interventional Radiology Unit Prof. A. Hatziioannou), the Therapeutic Clinic (Director Prof. A.M. Dimopoulos), as well as the First University Clinic of Anesthesiology (Director Prof. K. Theodorakis) of the Vascular Surgery Unit of the B Surgical Clinic (Head Prof. Th. Kotsis) and the Radiology Laboratory of the Alexandra Hospital (Co-ord. Director A. Chalazonitis).