Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi brings lifesaving, state-of-the-art AI tech for diagnosing and treating stroke

• Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s AI-enhanced system ensures faster, more accurate evaluation and treatment for stroke patients
• The highly sophisticated system is one of many technological innovations Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is using to transform patient care 

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, a Mubadala Health partner, has adopted another leading innovation. The ARTIS Icono, the most advanced stroke interventional system in the region, incorporates 2D and 3D imaging with artificial intelligence. It is a potentially life-changing innovation that is now being made available for patients in the UAE who suffer from stroke, a serious condition caused by a blood clot in the brain.

“With victims of ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, timing is crucial,” said Dr. Khalil Zahra, Chief of Neuro-interventional Surgery in the Neurological Institute of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. “Minutes count. Typically, we aim for a maximum of about six hours from symptom onset to perform what is called a neuro-thrombectomy, a procedure that dissolves the clot in a patient’s brain. This new system makes that process much faster and more precise, which will save lives.”

In traditional stroke intervention, the patient begins with a CT scan, and surgeons review imaging manually before operating to dissolve the blood clot. The ARTIS Icono transforms this process using artificial intelligence to deliver unparalleled image quality and reconstruction in real-time. Surgeons can skip a CT scan and begin treatment immediately. This saves precious time, gives surgeons far better visibility, and exposes the patient to less harmful radiation.

“According to the World Health Organization, one in four people run the risk of having a stroke in their lifetime. In the UAE, about 25 percent of UAE adults have hypertension, which puts our population at greater risk of having a stroke,” said Dr. Zahra. “Here, stroke is the leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death. It has never been more crucial to have the most innovative technology available for treating patients. This highly sophisticated system will ultimately help us give stroke victims the finest care in the world and the best possible chance of recovery.”

The ARTIS Icono is only one of many technological innovations that Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, recently ranked the top smart hospital in the region by Newsweek, is using to bring patient care into the future.

The new system will be housed at the Neurological Institute’s Neurovascular Medicine Program and Stroke Center at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, which offers a full range of the latest diagnostic and treatment options for patients with stroke and other cerebrovascular conditions. 

In honor of World Stroke Day on October 29, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is encouraging the community to learn the signs of stroke using the acronym F.A.S.T. – because minutes can save lives:

Face drooping

Arm weakness

Speech difficulty

Time to call 998

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has been the designated stroke center for Abu Dhabi since receiving its official designation by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi in 2015. Their surgeons have conducted more than 500 thrombectomies in the last seven years.