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I am a neurosurgeon specializing in acute stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, and tumor treatment. Every second counts for my patients and I am determined to help as many people as possible.
At Thanksgiving dinner this year, I left my family to operate on a patient suffering from a life-threatening stroke. This is what you need to know about stroke and how artificial intelligence is helping surgeons like me save even more patients.
Stroke is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide and remains a major challenge in healthcare.
What is artificial intelligence (AI)?
Not only does stroke take away loved ones and destroy families, but the impact of stroke from a socio-economic perspective is also staggering. The CDC estimates that from 2018 to 2019, the economic burden of stroke in the United States increased to approximately $56.5 billion.
I have witnessed many advances in the diagnosis and treatment of glacial stroke patients over the years. But with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), we have a powerful new ally.
Medical illustration of brain with stroke symptoms. (St. Petersburg)
While many of the AI tools doctors are employing have greatly improved the fight against stroke, there is no substitute for the human element.
“Time is brain” is the mantra of medical teams treating stroke patients. It is no coincidence that we use his acronym FAST. drooping of the face, weakness in the arms and legs, speech problems, time Remind people of the signs of stroke and seek medical help immediately.
When I received a stroke emergency call this Thanksgiving, I sprang into action and rushed out of the house to hand over the turkey carving baton to my oldest son. Why is it urgent? Because early intervention is critical to patient outcomes.
Thanksgiving dinner is a favorite family tradition of mine, but this patient needed immediate help. Within minutes, my team and I rushed the patient to the operating room and restored blood flow to the brain. His symptoms began to improve immediately.
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By combining what we have already learned and developed, AI algorithms have demonstrated an incredible ability to accelerate treatment success. AI can analyze brain scans such as computed tomography (CT) to not only detect the presence of a stroke, but also classify its type.
The ability to make these important distinctions will help doctors and nurses choose the most appropriate course of action, such as administering a clot-busting drug, performing a life-saving procedure to retrieve the clot from the blood vessel, or preparing for craniotomy. Helpful.
“Time is brain” is the mantra of medical teams treating stroke patients. (Joy Addison/Fox News)
Additionally, AI can help predict responses to these specific interventions. This level of precision represents a major departure from a one-size-fits-all approach and heralds a new era in stroke treatment where treatments are as unique as the patient. Unfortunately, this means that despite current advances in neurosurgery, it is sometimes necessary to have conversations with families about the lack of effective interventions available.
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While there is no question that AI is driving effective treatment for stroke patients, it does have some limitations. Due to the limitations of medical image processing, it is not uncommon for AI algorithms to misinterpret data.
Not only have I worked on cases where the AI told me to perform surgery when objectively there was no need to do so, but the opposite scenario also occurs. Calling in an emergency surgical team when the AI platform indicates no intervention is necessary is a dangerous situation.
As a neurosurgeon, I know all too well the anxiety that arises when AI does not recommend intervention, but for patients, surgery is their best chance of relief. Imagine the captain of a large airliner performing an emergency maneuver against the recommendations of the flight AI, knowing that the lives of hundreds of passengers on board are at risk. Decades of training and experience and the level of confidence required in this moment is unreal.
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Ethical considerations regarding patient privacy and data security with the use of AI algorithms also require close attention. Many of the AI platforms used to treat acute stroke require third-party software programs outside the hospital.
In a world where malicious cyber-attacks on hospitals by terrorists for financial gain are rampant, it is essential that patient data transfers are fully protected. Responsible use of AI in stroke treatment is essential.
The synergy between AI and doctors, nurses, and physical therapists involved in stroke treatment is Ready for further progress. I am personally excited to see how AI technology is integrated into the healthcare ecosystem and how it can facilitate rather than replace the human element. doing.
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At the end of the day, we must remember that we are humans dealing with other humans, not just programs analyzing algorithmic equations.
Before I left home to treat a stroke patient this Thanksgiving, I reminded my sons that while I had to leave, I would be home. And as promised, I returned home in the evening. My sons and wife sat with me and we enjoyed a wonderful dinner together. Once again, I am grateful for my beautiful and healthy family.
Click here to read more about Dr.Paul Safia
