A former patient who suffered a life-threatening stroke has praised a hospital team for saving her life.
Jillian Ryan, 62, is back to running her home business after suffering from a severe stroke earlier this year.
In September 2023, Jill woke up in her home in Thirsk with a dense weakness on the left side of her body including her face, arm and leg.
She was instantly blue-lighted to The James Cook University Hospital’s neurology and stroke unit as she had shown signs of a stroke.
Hospital staff quickly scrambled to get Jill into the operation theatre and performed a mechanical thrombectomy within the same day of her admission.
Mechanical thrombectomy is a minimally invasive procedure that involves removing blood clots from arteries within the brain for patients who have had a stroke.
Thanks to the prompt care from a diverse group of hospital staff, Jill recovered from her stroke and was discharged within six days – with support from the hospital’s community stroke therapy support.
This is because the longer a clot blocks blood flow to the brain, the more damage occurs due to the destruction of the brain cells deprived of oxygen.
She said: “From the ambulance crew to right down to the hospital staff, they have all been fantastic.
“The care I received was top-notch and I am grateful for each one of them for saving my life.”
Highest-ever surgeries performed
Consultant in stroke medicine and acute frailty Dr George Thomas, was involved in Jill’s care from the beginning.
He said: “We are just astonished at the remarkable recovery patients like Jill make. This procedure if done within the time window, gives one of three people with a stroke caused by a blockage a chance at regaining complete independence. Just like Jill!!”
George and his team are also celebrating after South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust performed a record 33 mechanical thrombectomy cases in 2024 – the highest number per year for the trust so far.
He added: “This is a huge achievement for us to perform 33 procedures in a year despite our neuroscience centre being the smallest in the UK.
I am very proud of the different specialities that contribute to the mechanical thrombectomy pathway team and the work they do daily. Their industry and dedication to deliver this life-changing treatment to our patients have helped the trust record its highest number of mechanical thrombectomy cases in 2024.”