Pictured: Dr. David Volders, QEII interventional neuroradiologist and Associate Professor, Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine
During a stroke, every second counts. Each moment a clot blocks blood flow to the brain, a patient loses 2 million brain cells – causing potentially permanent brain damage and loss of function.
Dr. David Volders, a QEII interventional neuroradiologist and associate professor at Dalhousie’s Faculty of Medicine, will transform stroke care through cutting-edge simulation technology with the help of our generous donor community.
Specializing in treating strokes and aneurysms, Dr. Volders and his team at the QEII Health Sciences Centre perform over 100 endovascular thrombectomies (EVTs) annually. These life-saving procedures involve threading a tiny catheter into brain arteries to remove stroke-causing blood clots.
EVTs demand exceptional skill, speed, confidence and rigorous training. Traditional training involves supervised practice, and eventual solo operations, a process that can bring risk to patients.
Currently, there is more than a 10 per cent chance that a medical trainee learning to perform EVTs will cause an additional stroke or damage a patient’s brain. Experienced neuroradiologists like Dr. Volders have only a 0.5 per cent risk of adverse events.
To address this, the QEII Foundation and Dalhousie are partnering to purchase a $415,000 Mentice digital training device, funded by a $200,000 contribution from the QEII Foundation’s We Are campaign with additional support from Dalhousie’s Faculty of Medicine.
This advanced simulation device offers a safe environment for medical trainees to perfect intricate EVTs without risking patient safety. It allows for repetitive practice without the pressure of practicing on a live patient, significantly reducing errors during live surgeries where it counts.
The software accompanying the device loads actual patient brain scans for surgeons and trainees to review before they perform an EVT. Supervisors like Dr. Volders can program potential complications, so the trainees learn how to respond to these emergencies.
Dalhousie will be one of only three medical schools in Canada with this advanced simulation equipment.
“We’ll definitely have the best equipment in Canada for training people,” Dr. Volders says.
John Whidden is one of the patients who benefitted from Dr. Volders’ experience and skill. In 2020, he had a stroke after blood clots formed in his brain and neck. Thanks to Dr. Volders’ quick intervention in performing an EVT, Whidden recovered completely—and he’d like other patients to benefit from doctors trained in the latest simulation methods.
“This kind of simulation is going to be a lifesaver,” John says. “The more equipment that’s available to people to increase their expertise, the better—that’s wonderful.”
Acquiring the Mentice device would not be possible without generous donors.
“This groundbreaking technology offers an unparalleled simulation experience, allowing our healthcare teams at the QEII and beyond to practice and perfect intricate, life-saving procedures in a risk-free environment,” Susan says.
“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Dalhousie on this leading-edge initiative, and we’re grateful for the many QEII Foundation and Dalhousie donors who are coming together to make this milestone a reality,” says Susan Mullin, QEII Foundation President and CEO.
