The second annual conference of the Society of Therapeutic Neurointerventions begins today at KMCH (Kovai Medical Center and Hospital) in the city. The conference is being organised by Dr. Mathew Cherian, Chief of Interventional Radiology of KMCH , and Dr. Santhosh Joseph HOD of Neuro Radiology at SRMC (Sri Ramachandra Medical College).

Neuro-Interventional Radiology is relatively new, where complex diseases involving the blood vessels of the brain and spinal cord are treated using image guidance without opening the skull. The procedure primarily involves navigating a catheter, which is a fine tube, through a small puncture made in the blood vessel of the thigh or hand.

“The field of Neuro-Interventional Radiology has grown rapidly in the last 20 years. More than 1 million patients die or are permanently disabled due to stroke every year in India. A large percentage of these patients can return to normal life provided the block in the blood vessel is removed within six hours of stroke. Neuro-Interventional physicians today work 24 x 7 to ensure that this is possible,” said Dr. Santhosh Joseph.

The Society of Therapeutic Neurointerventions was created five years ago to bring together physicians from across the country and from SAARC nations to ensure that they were exposed to the current indications for endovascular treatment and the latest technologies that are available globally. Further, it is a platform for all physicians practicing this specialty to share their experiences.

Doctors from across the globe are participating in the conference. In addition to this, more than 50 Indian leaders from the field of Neuro-Interventional Radiology and Neurosciences will be giving lectures, conducting workshops and chairing sessions.

The conference will end on March 4. “Each day is dedicated for a specialised disease and the final day will include sessions showcasing the most complex cases done across the globe to ensure that Indian doctors will have a more comprehensive knowledge of working with the latest technology in these difficult clinical situations,” said Dr. Mathew Cherian.

Dr. Nalla G. Palaniswami, Chairman, KMCH, was the chief guest for this conference. It is to be noted that he has ordered the first Mobile Stroke Unit in Asia, which is being displayed at the conference.

“The Mobile Stroke Unit is a radical change in the way a stroke is handled, where this sophisticated ambulance is a stroke hospital with its own CT scanner, ICU, laboratory and trained doctors. The ambulance can thus diagnose and start treatment for stroke at the site of stroke and then shift the patient to the hospital to ensure that stroke therapy can be started in the golden hour (six hours),” said Dr. Palaniswami.