Chulalongkorn’s Faculty of Medicine Organizes “Global Collaboration to Improve Stroke Care in Thailand and Beyond” to Boost Collaboration in Treatment of Stroke Patients in Thailand

Chulalongkorn Stroke Center of Excellence, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, held the “Global Collaboration to Improve Stroke Care in Thailand and Beyond” event on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, at Meeting Room 303, 3^rd floor, Rattanawithayapat Building, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. The event aimed to promote knowledge and understanding in the treatment of patients who suffered from stroke, a leading cause of death around the world.  

The “Global Collaboration to Improve Stroke Care in Thailand and Beyond” event kicked off with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chanchai Sittipunt, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, and Director of King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital giving a remark on the importance of the event, joined by Assoc. Prof. Ashutosh Jadhav, World-renowned Interventional Neurologist at Barrow Neurological Institute, Arizona, USA, Chief Scientific Officer, Gravity Medical Technology, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kunakorn Atchaneeyasakul, Vascular and Interventional Neurologist at Virginia Mason Medical Center, Washington, USA CEO, Gravity Medical Technology Inc. Assoc. Prof. (Special) Dr. Aurauma Chutinet, lecturer at the Division of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, gave a welcome remark to the visiting party.    

“Stroke” is a major health problem worldwide. The development of mechanical thrombectomy using stent retrievers is the most effective treatment for acute ischemic stroke. Currently, less than 5% of patients worldwide have access to this treatment. Most of the available data focuses on the Caucasian population, which limits our understanding of stroke treatment outcomes for Thai and Asian patients facing specific risk factors, such as ischemic stroke. Therefore, it is essential to study and develop treatment plans specifically tailored to patients in Asian countries. 

This collaboration between Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine and international medical experts aims to examine the efficacy and safety of stent retrievers in the treatment of stroke. The study will focus specifically on Thai and Asian patients, who are more at risk of stroke from ischemic stroke than other populations, to fill in the gap of knowledge regarding the disease and lead to the development of appropriate treatment for Asia.  

In addition, the research collaboration, which seeks to compare and compile data from other clinical registries through international cooperation, strives to promote knowledge exchange and facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of the outcomes of ischemic stroke treatment in different populations. The results of the study will be published in peer-reviewed publications, international conferences, and scientific forums to ensure that the research findings are widely accessed and utilized. 

Over 200 Thai and Asian acute ischemic stroke patients will be prospectively enrolled and treated with Mechanical Thrombectomy using stent retrievers. Data collection will include patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and details of the steps and results of the treatment. Sub-analyses will focus on evaluating the characteristics and outcomes of patients with acute ischemic stroke caused by atherosclerosis. Findings from the patient registry will provide insight into the efficacy and safety of the stent device for the treatment of ischemic stroke in Thai and Asian patients and will contribute data for the study of ischemic stroke in Asian populations, serving as a model for developing appropriate treatments for said population in the future. 

Prof. Dr. Nijasri Charnnarong, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, stated that stroke is the number one cause of death in Thailand, with up to 70,000 deaths each year, as well as a cause of long-term disabilities. This disease is common among the elderly. While Thailand has made progress in treating stroke, an innovation for the treatment of acute stroke needs to be imported from abroad and is expensive. The collaboration between the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, and Gravity Medical Technology Inc., USA, which has experts in this disease, is a great opportunity to help advance the treatment. The main goal is to enhance the quality of life of Thai and Asian people, allowing them to be free from stroke or receive quick treatment for acute stroke to avoid disabilities or death.  

“The professors from the United States who attended this conference have great expertise in treating acute stroke and are experienced in new tools that can be applied to stroke patients in Thailand. This will help Thailand develop the treatment of this disease in leaps and bounds,” said Prof. Dr. Nijasri.  

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kunakorn Atchaneeyasakul, Vascular and Interventional Neurologist at Gravity Medical Technology Inc., Washington, USA, revealed that the reason for this medical collaboration is that Thailand is a country with medical advancements and has a high record of treatment for stroke patients each year. One cause for the high rate of treatment is Thailand has a higher ratio of doctors to patients with stroke than in other countries. The Gravity Mission medical team from the United States aims to achieve equal stroke treatment for patients in Thailand and around the world and to make Thailand the model of stroke treatment in Southeast Asia through research. The first goal of the research is to utilize advanced medical equipment with stroke patients for accurate and speedy treatment.  

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