Hubballi: Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute (KMC-RI) in Hubballi is set to establish a dedicated stroke care unit, with construction of a state-of-the-art DSA (digital subtraction angiography) cath lab under way.The DSA machine, costing around Rs 13.5 crore, has been sanctioned through govt and institute funds, and work on the unit will begin soon. The machine will be used to examine and treat blood vessels in the brain and heart, and will support brain angiography. After Nimhans, Bengaluru, KMC-RI will be among the few institutions to have this advanced facility.The hospital receives around 130 to 150 stroke patients every month. Patients who arrive within three hours of symptom onset can be treated effectively with CT scan-based intervention and medication, but those reaching later require detailed evaluation. The DSA machine will help detect blood clots in vessels.Medical superintendent Dr Ishwar Hasabi told TOI that KMC-RI already has a neurology department and adequate staff, and the DSA cath lab would require only technical experts. The lab, equipped with cutting-edge technology, will follow the hub-and-spoke model, enabling doctors in peripheral areas to consult and treat patients. He said the technology would also help in early detection and prevention of strokes.The facility is expected to benefit patients from seven to eight districts in North Karnataka. The cath lab is likely to be operational within two months, enabling timely and advanced treatment, he added.Dr Amruth, HoD, neurology department, said the DSA machine would provide detailed visualisation of blood vessels and blood flow in the brain, aiding stroke treatment. Earlier, patients were treated across different departments, but now a dedicated 20-bed stroke ward will be set up under one roof. The hub-and-spoke model, successfully implemented at Nimhans, will now be replicated at KMC-RI, which treats around 100–120 stroke patients every month, a number that continues to rise.The unit will come up at Ward No. 2 and function in coordination with neurology, neurosurgery, radiology and anaesthesia departments, he said.Stay updated with the latest Hubballi news. Download the TOI App.

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