40% of patients at NIMHANS neurology casualty have stroke; KMCRI in Hubbali treats 120 cases a month

The hub-and-spoke model links a central specialist hospital with a regional centre. NIMHANS in Bengaluru serves as the hub, while KMCRI in Hubballi serves as the spoke. The goal is to provide expert stroke care closer to patients in northern Karnataka. This matters because stroke treatment is highly time-sensitive, and delays can increase death or long-term disability.

For example, KMCRI doctors can consult NIMHANS specialists remotely when a suspected stroke patient arrives. They use coordinated treatment protocols to assess the patient and begin appropriate care. KMCRI has started evaluating stroke patients and providing intravenous thrombolysis. A dual-plane DSA machine is installed there, and thrombectomy services are expected soon.

The partnership helps patients receive immediate medical management without first travelling to Bengaluru. KMCRI manages about 100 to 120 stroke cases monthly under the model. NIMHANS continues providing specialised guidance and advanced services, while KMCRI is expanding its local capacity for acute stroke treatment.

NIMHANS receives around 1,700 patients each month through its neurological casualty services. Of these, about 705 are stroke patients. The figure shows how heavily emergency neurological services are used and why faster stroke assessment remains an important concern. Stroke patients need rapid decisions because delays can worsen their outcomes.

The article describes the numbers through the work of Girish B. Kulkarni, head of the stroke unit at NIMHANS. The institute gives intravenous thrombolysis to around five to eight patients each month. It also performs about five to nine endovascular thrombectomies monthly. These treatments are used for eligible patients after assessment.

The monthly figures also explain the need for regional partnerships. NIMHANS is connecting with KMCRI in Hubballi to extend specialist care beyond Bengaluru. KMCRI now manages about 100 to 120 stroke cases monthly, helping patients in northern Karnataka receive treatment closer to home and reducing transfer-related delays.

NIMHANS serves as the partnership’s central specialised centre. Its stroke team supports assessment, treatment decisions and coordinated protocols. The institute already provides intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy. Its specialist role allows doctors at the regional centre to receive expert input during the crucial early period after symptoms begin.

KMCRI is developing the ability to evaluate and treat acute stroke patients in northern Karnataka. When patients arrive, KMCRI doctors provide immediate medical management and targeted interventions. The centre has begun intravenous thrombolysis and has installed a dual-plane digital subtraction angiography machine. Endovascular thrombectomy services are expected to start soon.

Teleconsultation connects the two institutions during emergencies. Doctors can discuss patient findings, choose suitable treatment and begin care without waiting for transfer to Bengaluru. KMCRI manages around 100 to 120 stroke cases monthly under the model. Together, the centres combine NIMHANS expertise with KMCRI’s local access and growing treatment capacity.

Stroke treatment depends heavily on time. Travelling from northern Karnataka to Bengaluru during an emergency can delay assessment, imaging and treatment. Those delays matter because doctors must determine the stroke type, examine brain images and decide whether a patient qualifies for urgent intervention. The longer this process is postponed, the more difficult it can be to improve the outcome.

The article gives a regional solution through KMCRI in Hubballi. Patients can arrive at the local centre, where doctors provide immediate medical management and consult NIMHANS specialists remotely. KMCRI has started giving intravenous thrombolysis and is preparing to introduce endovascular thrombectomy after installing a dual-plane DSA machine.

This arrangement reduces the need to begin care only after reaching Bengaluru. It does not remove the need for rapid transport to a stroke-ready hospital. Instead, it places stroke assessment and some treatment closer to northern districts. The partnership aims to prevent avoidable delays and reduce the risk of death or long-term disability.

Intravenous thrombolysis is a treatment that gives clot-dissolving medicine through a vein. It is used for eligible patients with an ischaemic stroke, which happens when a blood vessel supplying the brain is blocked. The aim is to restore blood flow by breaking down the clot. Eligibility depends on clinical assessment and timing.

Endovascular thrombectomy is a procedure that removes a clot from a blocked blood vessel using specialised equipment. Doctors guide the intervention based on the patient’s examination and imaging findings. KMCRI has begun providing intravenous thrombolysis, while its newly installed dual-plane DSA machine will support planned thrombectomy services. NIMHANS already performs about five to nine thrombectomies monthly.

Doctors do not use one treatment automatically for every stroke. They consider the stroke type, brain imaging, time since symptoms began and the patient’s clinical condition. Rapid recognition and hospital arrival therefore matter. The article emphasises that treatment decisions must be made quickly, especially during the first few hours after a stroke.

BE FAST is a simple way to remember common stroke warning signs. B means sudden loss of balance. E means eye or vision disturbances. F means facial drooping. A means arm weakness. S means speech difficulties. T stresses that people must seek timely medical help and act immediately. The checklist is designed to make recognition easier for the public.

For example, if someone suddenly develops a drooping face and trouble speaking, those symptoms should be treated as an emergency. People should not wait to see whether they improve or try to manage them at home. They should seek emergency medical attention immediately and reach a hospital equipped to provide appropriate treatment.

The article links BE FAST awareness to faster treatment decisions. Early recognition, rapid transport and timely treatment can improve outcomes. This is especially important because stroke care may involve thrombolysis or thrombectomy, and doctors must consider the time since symptoms began. Every minute can affect the opportunity for treatment.

A stroke is a sudden medical emergency in which the brain’s normal blood supply is disrupted or bleeding occurs. The article specifically describes an ischaemic stroke, which happens when a blood vessel supplying the brain is blocked. Without normal blood flow, the affected brain area cannot receive the oxygen and nutrients it needs. This can produce sudden problems with movement, speech, balance or vision.

The blockage can lead to the warning signs listed in BE FAST, such as facial drooping, arm weakness or speech difficulty. Doctors use brain imaging and clinical assessment to identify the stroke type and choose treatment. For eligible ischaemic stroke patients, intravenous thrombolysis may dissolve the clot. Endovascular thrombectomy may remove it with specialised equipment.

Time is critical because untreated blockage can increase the risk of death or long-term disability. The article therefore stresses early recognition, rapid transport and immediate hospital assessment. The exact treatment depends on imaging findings, time since symptoms began and the patient’s clinical condition.