In the UK, it is estimated that 100,000 people suffer from strokes each year, equivalent to one stroke every five minutes. Research from the NHS demonstrates the life-changing aftermath they can have, with over 50% of survivors affected by a long-term disability.
Time is a crucial factor for preventing enduring symptoms as it is estimated that a patient loses 2 million brain cells every minute during a stroke. With the devasting impacts of this disease clear, it is not surprising that innovative technologies are being sought to help NHS staff and stroke centres decrease their response time and improve patient outcomes.
The Brainomix 360 Stroke AI tool is a fantastic example of how innovative technologies can unlock improved treatment delivery in the health care sector.
Brainomix launched as a spin-out from the preclinical stroke lab at the University of Oxford in 2010. Their advanced AI algorithms assist in the diagnosis and understanding of each patient's condition by applying proprietary image processing techniques to brain scans to provide real-time interpretation, enabling more patients to get the right treatment at the right time.
For the NHS, the benefits unlocked by the Brainomix 360 Stroke technology have been vital.
Firstly, analysis of the impact of Brainomix's 360 Stroke AI tool within the NHS demonstrated a 50 minute reduction in medical treatment time. Especially important in the field of stroke care, reducing the time taken to analyse and interpret test results enables the appropriate treatment for each patient to be identified and delivered at a much faster rate. Not only can AI technologies help in the display and interpretation of results but, as highlighted by David Hargroves (NHS England's National Clinical Director for Stroke), it can help the confidence of NHS staff in supporting clinical decisions made in a high intensity, time pressured environment.
Secondly, the use of AI has enabled an increase in patient treatment by mechanical thrombectomy (MT). Mechanical thrombectomy is a time-critical intervention which helps patients by reopening a blocked blood vessel in the brain, significantly reducing the risk of long-term stroke impacts. As a result of rolling out the Brainomix 360 Stroke AI tool, it was demonstrated that patients were 70% more likely to receive mechanical thrombectomy (MT) than before.
In addition, through a faster understanding of the need of each patient, communication between hospitals has strengthened. As each patient is promptly assessed, they can be appropriately transferred, getting each patient the right help in the right location with ease.
Today, every stroke centre in England (107 in total) has now rolled out the use of AI in their practice, with research suggesting it now assists 80,000 people who have a stroke every year.
The adoption of innovative technologies in the field of stroke treatment has already demonstrated its potential for meaningful impact, greatly improving patient outcomes and streamlining the delivery of treatment. Yet, there still exists huge opportunity for AI technologies to revolutionise the delivery of medical treatment in the healthcare sector.
Mathys & Squire is proud to be working with Brainomix in the pursuit of protecting their innovative platforms and proprietary technologies.