Hospital rescues acute ischemic stroke patient in Dubai

A 62-year-old patient suffered an acute ischemic stroke in the middle cerebral artery, which weakened his muscles and left him bedridden.

The patient reportedly headed to Salma Rehabilitation Hospital, part of SEHA, a subsidiary of PureHealth group.

Upon admission to the hospital, he required mechanical ventilation, nasogastric tube feeding, and a tracheostomy tube. He also suffered from a low level of consciousness on the Glasgow Coma Scale, extremely limited activity tolerance, and was only able to communicate using pen and paper.

After undergoing treatment, his condition progressed gradually and the hospital staff began using speaking valves, and he was transitioned to oral feeding after a radiological swallowing study was conducted.

Rhea Morris Al Ashkar, a speech and language therapist at the hospital, said that restoring the patient's ability to communicate was an important milestone in his recovery journey, and as his ability to express himself improved, we noticed greater engagement with therapy sessions, clearer improvement in communication and swallowing, and tangible progress in the rehabilitation path in general.

She added that physical therapy progressed from exercises to bedside walking and transferred to mobility training within the rehabilitation hall, until he became able to walk.

By the time of his discharge, he had regained some strength and became more capable of participating in daily activities.

Today, the patient has regained his ability to move and communicate, reflecting the importance of coordinated rehabilitative care in helping patients regain functions and confidence after severe neurological injuries.