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In a medical feat that underscores the growing capabilities of advanced stroke care in India, a multidisciplinary team at ApolloMedics Super Speciality Hospital in Lucknow, successfully reversed the devastating effects of a rare stroke in a 2.5-year-old girl.
Initially presenting with symptoms mistaken for severe indigestion and fever, the child’s condition rapidly spiralled into seizures and a sudden loss of movement. Doctors diagnosed her with deep cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), a life-threatening condition where blood clots form in the brain's venous sinuses, blocking drainage and causing multiple brain infarcts.
Recognizing the high risk of permanent disability or mortality, a specialized team led by interventional neuro-radiologist Dr. Dewansh Mishra, alongside Dr Arpit Taunk and Dr Amol Srivastava, made the critical decision to perform an emergency intracranial catheter-directed thrombolysis. This complex neuro-intervention involved navigating a microcatheter through the femoral vein in the child's thigh up into the intracranial venous system. Once positioned, clot-dissolving medication was delivered directly to the site of the thrombosis to restore vital blood flow and halt further neurological damage.
The procedure was particularly challenging due to the patient’s age and the miniature scale of her blood vessels. Dr. Mishra noted that while paediatric strokes are rare, performing neuro-intervention on a toddler carries an increased risk of bleeding and requires extreme precision. Medical literature on such procedures for patients this young remains limited, making the timely escalation to this advanced intervention a pivotal factor in preventing irreversible brain injury.
Further investigation revealed that the child suffered from Antiphospholipid Antibody (APLA) syndrome, a rare clotting disorder that predisposed her to excessive blood clots. This underlying condition was dangerously accelerated by recent infection and dehydration. The stabilization and post-operative management were handled by a dedicated paediatric critical care team, including Dr. Siddhartha Kunwar and Dr. Nishant Gopal, who ensured the child survived the highly vulnerable recovery period.
The success of the intervention has been transformative. After three weeks of intensive care and specialized rehabilitation, the young girl was discharged with significant neurological recovery. Today, she has regained the ability to walk and speak, meeting the developmental milestones expected of her age. This case serves as a poignant reminder from Dr. Mayank Somani, MD and CEO of ApolloMedics, that strokes can occur even in the very young, where every minute saved is critical to a patient's future.
This landmark case is set to be presented at the Indian National Stroke Conference 2026 in Kochi, highlighting Apollo Hospitals' commitment to clinical excellence and innovation. As one of the world’s largest integrated healthcare platforms, Apollo continues to push the boundaries of medical science, ensuring that even the most complex and rare paediatric cases have access to life-saving, cutting-edge technology and expertise.
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