International medical conference on treatment of stroke and epilepsy held

Muscat: Lama Polyclinic and Muscat Family Physicians’ Group in association with Apollo Hospital, Bengaluru and Global Treatment Services held a medical conference on ‘Latest in the Treatment of a Stroke & Epilepsy’ as a part of their annual Continuous Medical Education Programme.

“Stroke” is as common as heart attack worldwide! Unfortunately stroke awareness is poor in the general public and many are unaware of the newer modalities in the treatment of stroke.

Improvised imaging for the brain can pick up the stroke early and can even quantify the clot burden. Anybody with an acute stroke like symptoms like facial droop, speech issues, limb weakness or sudden blindness should immediately report to their nearest stroke ready hospital where procedures like angioplasty, clot removal and even brain vessel stenting can be performed which can be potentially limb saving. More than 70 percent of patients have favourable outcomes if treated early.

This aspect was discussed in detail with illustrations of the cases by Dr Adoor Gurucharan, Consultant Neurologist.

Epilepsy today affects around over 50 million people in the world and around 500,000 are added to it every year. Around 70 percent of them are manageable with one, two or sometimes three anti-epileptic drugs. Of the remaining 30 percent Refractory cases needs further detailed evaluation.

With the present knowledge and different imaging technologies over two in three of such non responders to medication, also called ‘Refractory case’ can be well controlled and even many of them can be ‘cured’ of seizures by different selective surgical procedures.

A big relief can be provided to such cases and the family of affected individuals and ultimately the Society.

Dr. Sudhir Pai, Sr. Consultant, Neurosurgery, discussed some of the cases, details of the investigative procedures and surgical modalities on the surgical options in Refractory Epilepsy.

The conference was attended by around 50 doctors practicing in Oman which included neurosurgeons, neurologists, internists, paediatricians and family physicians both from government and private sectors.

“Continuous Professional Development is essential for all medical professionals. New research and technologies are evolving at a great speed and one must attend these kind of conferences to keep abreast with the latest. We intend to continue the same at the same speed,” Dr. Sanjay Dalal, Founder, Muscat Family Physicians’ Group, the main organiser and co-ordinator said in his concluding address.