In Hong Kong, stroke remains a leading cause of death and disability, impacting thousands of lives each year.  

Stroke's Devastating Toll: 

• 3,057 stroke-related deaths in 2022 alone 
• Fifth leading cause of death in Hong Kong 

Widespread Impact on the Population: 

• Approximately 25,000 individuals suffer from stroke each year 
• Affecting not only patients but also their families and caregivers 
• Significant burden on the community and healthcare system 

Causes and Symptoms of Stroke 

Types of Stroke 

1. Ischemic Stroke 

• Caused by a blood clot obstructing an artery supplying blood to the brain 
• Deprives brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients 
• Accounts for approximately 87% of all strokes 

2. Hemorrhagic Stroke 

• Results from a weakened blood vessel that ruptures and bleeds into the surrounding brain tissue 
• Associated with neurovascular aneurysm 

Recognizing Stroke Symptoms 

Identifying stroke symptoms quickly is crucial for timely treatment. Remember the acronym FAST: 

• Face drooping: One side of the face may droop or feel numb. 
• Arm weakness: One arm may feel weak or numb. 
• Speech difficulty: Speech may be slurred or hard to understand. 
• Time to call emergency services if you notice these signs. 

Additional symptoms may include sudden confusion, trouble seeing in one or both eyes, dizziness, and severe headache. By recognizing these warning signs promptly, you can potentially save a life or prevent long-term disability. 

Innovative Treatments for Stroke Treatment 

Revolutionizing Neurovascular Access 

Q'apel Medical's innovative approach aims to revolutionize neurovascular access for stroke treatment. Their cutting-edge technology allows for minimally invasive procedures, enabling faster and more precise delivery of life-saving therapies to the brain. This advancement holds the potential to significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients by minimizing procedural risks and maximizing treatment efficacy. 

The Walrus Balloon Guide Catheter has innovative designs to increase internal diameter of the catheter to accommodate most commonly used aspirator device for ischemic stroke treatment, while maintaining the outer diameter within 8F to gain vascular access easily. The balloon can be inflated with diameter 11.1mm to obstruct blood flow during aspiration, avoiding the clots to flow along the vessel to more distal regions which could lead to secondary stroke, as well as to avoid the flow from intervening the positioning of aspirator to gain better aspiration result. 

The Armadillo Neurovascular Catheter is another innovative device which can change its stiffness in the operation by injection of saline through side port. This can offer both supporting and tracking features with only one catheter, reducing the need by doctors to interchange devices, hence reducing the operation time and number of devices required.  

Regenerative Smart Polymers 

Shape Memory Medical is investigating the possibility to use their biodegradable polymer embolization coil to embolize neurovascular aneurysm. By filling the aneurysm with polymer coils, blood platelets will be trapped inside the coiled region and form stable thrombus to avoid further expansion of aneurysm, to eliminate the risk of rupture which causes hemorrhagic stroke. 

Conclusion 

Stroke remains a significant concern in Hong Kong, with various risk factors and lifestyle choices influencing its prevalence. Recognizing symptoms and seeking immediate medical attention is crucial for improving outcomes. Innovative treatments from companies like Q'Apel and Shape Memory Medical, available through Getz Healthcare Hong Kong, offer new hope for stroke patients. These cutting-edge solutions, combined with ongoing research and public awareness, pave the way for more effective stroke prevention and management. Remember, when it comes to stroke, every second counts. 

 

Sources: 

• https://www.hkah.org.hk/en/health-guides/stroke 
• https://www.med.hku.hk/en/news/press/20221027-increase-in-young-stroke 
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0010482522008848 
• https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/ncd_watch_oct_2022.pdf 
• https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-10-young-incidence-hong-kong.html#google_vignette 
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stroke/symptoms-causes/syc-20350113 
• https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/5601-stroke 
• https://www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke/stroke-symptoms 
• https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/stroke 
• https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/patient-information/conditions-treated-a-to-z/stroke 
• Neurovascular Solutions - Shape Memory Medical