NMC Royal Sharjah saves woman's life within hours

A normal day in the life of a 68-year-old woman turned into a battle for survival when she suddenly experienced the most severe headache of her life.

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It was not just a passing headache but also an early warning sign of a life-threatening cerebral aneurysm, causing severe bleeding around the brain known as a subarachnoid haemorrhage, a medical emergency that can lead to death if not treated immediately.

Thanks to the team of doctors at NMC Royal Hospital Sharjah, led by Dr. Vivek Karan, Consultant Neurologist, the patient was able to receive lifesaving treatment without the need for open brain surgery.

The patient was urgently transferred to NMC Royal Hospital Sharjah after falling at home due to sudden, severe headache. Urgent tests revealed a subarachnoid haemorrhage caused by a rupture of the left middle cerebral artery, one of the main arteries in the brain.

Although her medical condition was complicated by her preexisting high blood pressure and diabetes and she had allergy to certain antibiotics, she arrived at the hospital fully conscious, which allowed doctors a limited time to save her life.

Instead of resorting to traditional surgery, which may be more risky for elderly patients, the medical team decided to adopt the cerebral catheterization technique of metallic coil immersion.