Milan Savic, neurologist and head of Special hospital for cerebral-vascular diseases Sveti Sava - We take care about 70 patients a day, new scanner is essential

(Milan Savic)More than 80% of patients with acutebrain attack in Belgrade is hospitalized in Nemanjina 2. Hospital for vascularbrain diseases, Sveti Sava, is the only institution which deals with solely takingcare of patients who suffered brain attack but they lack beds to take careabout gerontology patients and pathology patients. For better organization, thehospital is waiting for reconstruction and apart from minor devices, they needmost for procurement of at least one scanner, dr. Milan Savic, a neurologistand the head of the Special hospital for cerebral-vascular diseases Sveti Savain Belgrade, says in his interview for eKapija.

eKapija: How many patients isexamined per day in the hospital and how many of them is hospitalized annually?

-On the average, "Sveti Sava" hospital carries out 60-70 scanners a day, 20-25 checks on magneticresonance and some 50 checks on different ultrasound devices both for patiencein bed and the ones who come to a health center, Between 6 and 7 thousandpatients is hospitalized per year.

eKapija: The hospital operates 24hours. How difficult it is to maintain urgent neurology at such a high level?

-We need excellent organization, essential knowledge of technologies to keepthe level which obliges to imply doctrine in treatment in brain attack which isvery demanding both when it comes to diagnostics and therapy. It can be reachedonly through constant, continuous education, monitoring of the latest achievementsand modernizing equipment which is more difficult in our conditions but it isnot impossible.

eKapija: You have outlined for a few times the hospital lacks new equipment,a scanner first of all. How urgent is its procurement?

-In conditions "Sveti Sava" takes care about more than 80% of allacute brain attacks in Belgrade and with protocols for diagnostic and treatmentimplying that specific therapy depends on fast and quality diagnostics, scannerfirst of all, it is clear that this organized institution must have at leasttwo scanners, in constant operational function and technically advanced apartfrom that.

-The last and the only significant time the hospital was renovated was 30years ago. After that, rehabilitation was more or less carried out on someparts of the building, mostly the ones for accommodation of important andtechnologically demanding equipment such as scanner, magnetic resonance andangio hall. Capacities are sufficient to take care about all patients whosuffer acute brain attack.

eKapija: Apart from equipment, whereis it necessary to invest in?

-Apart from equipment, it is necessary to invest in knowledge since thanks to technologyit is constantly growing and offers a lot of new and useful information withrespect to diagnostic methods and modern therapy procedures.

eKapija: Brain attack is among theleading death causes in Serbia. To what extent are citizens of Serbia familiarwith warning symptoms, are there more or less risky groups?

-Unfortunately, in our environment, there is poor recognition of brain attacksymptoms although they are typical. It is even more common and more dangerousrecognition without reaction in adequate time where therapy can be applied. Itcan be said our entire pre-hospital management

eKapija: Brain attack requires serious diagnostic. Are and in which way treatment conditions improved during the last years?

-Since 2006, so-called thromblytic therapy is applied and it is a golden standard in treatment of some forms of brain attacks, thrombosis. The therapy has its limitations and the most important one is therapy window for its implementation of maximum 4 hours since the first symptoms start. Unfortunately, few patients which are in indication area for the therapy implementation come to the hospital which have Brain attack unit. Conditions for treatment and diagnostic have been significantly improved but there is still the basic problem of recognizing symptoms and fast and urgent transport to an adequate hospital.