This service – known as mechanical thrombectomy – has already been available during weekdays for several years at DBTH. However from 5 April 2025, the Trust, with support from colleagues at STH, has been able to extend this to a seven-day service, with plans to move to a 24/7 model by the end of the year.
Mechanical thrombectomy is a specialist procedure used for the most severe strokes, when a large blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked by a clot. This type of stroke can cause major long-term damage, or even be fatal, if not treated quickly.
Unlike treatments that use medication to dissolve the clot, thrombectomy involves physically removing it. A doctor guides a thin tube through the patient’s body to the brain, where a tiny device grabs the clot and pulls it out – helping blood flow return to the brain and giving the patient the best possible chance of recovery.
Thanks to this pathway, stroke patients at DBTH are first checked, scanned, and stabilised at Doncaster Royal Infirmary or Bassetlaw Hospital. If thrombectomy is needed, they are transferred straight to Sheffield's Northern General Hospital for the procedure and usually return the same day to continue their recovery locally.
Dr Ahmad Maatouk, Stroke and Acute Medicine Consultant at DBTH, said: "This treatment can be life-changing. For some people, it’s the difference between walking and not walking, speaking and not speaking – even between life and death.
"We’re really thankful to our colleagues in Sheffield and to all the teams at DBTH who make this happen so quickly. Everyone is working together to give our patients the best possible chance."
The newly expanded service has already helped patients. A few days ago, a patient from Doncaster became the first person in South Yorkshire to receive a weekend thrombectomy. After being rushed to Doncaster Royal Infirmary with signs of a severe stroke, the patient received rapid scanning and clot-busting medication before being transferred to Sheffield for the thrombectomy procedure.
This development builds on wider improvements in stroke care at DBTH, including:
• The introduction of advanced CT perfusion scans, which help identify which parts of the brain may still benefit from treatment – even when patients arrive outside the usual timeframe.
• A pilot project exploring genetic testing to personalise stroke prevention. So far, 130 patients have been tested, with 20 found to have a genetic difference that makes a commonly used drug less effective.
These enhancements are helping local people get faster, more personalised stroke care – and giving them the best possible chance of recovery when every second counts.