Code Stroke

RCH offers Endovascular Clot Retrieval (ECR) for patients with thromboembolic stroke that present within a six hours from symptom onset and have a clot that is suitable for retrieval. This life changing (and potentially life-saving) treatment has a significant impact on the anaesthesia service, especially when it occurs out-of-hours.

The aim of this document is to provide guidance on what to do when you are the in-charge anaesthetist (or fellow or registrar out of hours) receiving a ‘Code Stroke’ call and then how to proceed should the decision be made to activate ECR.

• A proportion of Code Stroke cases at RCH will be suitable for Endovascular Clot Retrieval – roughly 4 per year

• These patients require PIPER transport to and from the Royal Melbourne Hospital, which provides the neurointerventional radiology service