91 Urgent Activations and 23 Neurointerventional Procedures During Hajj

King Abdullah Medical City Achieves World-Class Stroke Response Outcome

Makkah – Corporate Communications

King Abdullah Medical City, a member of Makkah Health Cluster, announced that its Stroke Program continued to deliver outstanding outcomes during the Hajj 1447H season, recording 91 urgent stroke pathway activations under the Urgent Care Model, one of the Saudi healthcare transformation models. These results reflect the hospital’s high level of preparedness and rapid response in managing critical stroke cases and saving lives during Hajj.

The medical city reported that the program assessed 121 suspected stroke cases, of which 82 cases were confirmed as strokes. Additionally, 65 patients required hospital admission to receive specialized care and advanced treatment.

The cases included 34 pilgrims, among them 33 non-Saudi pilgrims representing 21 different nationalities and one Saudi pilgrim, in addition to 48 non-pilgrim patients. This highlights the hospital’s advanced referral role in providing specialized neurological care for both the Guests of the Most Merciful and other beneficiaries.

The medical city further noted that the clinical team successfully administered clot-busting (thrombolytic) therapy to 13 patients and performed 23 mechanical thrombectomy procedures to remove blood clots. These services were delivered through a fully integrated, around-the-clock specialized stroke care system designed to improve survival rates and reduce stroke-related complications and disabilities.

The hospital also achieved exceptional performance indicators that exceeded international benchmarks. Compliance with the target time for initial patient assessment reached 100%, while the average door-to-CT scan time was only 18 minutes. The average door-to-needle time for thrombolytic treatment was 36 minutes, and the average door-to-thrombectomy time was 56 minutes.

In addition, the program achieved record response times, with the fastest door-to-needle time recorded at just 22 minutes, while the fastest door-to-thrombectomy time was only 16 minutes. These indicators demonstrate remarkable operational efficiency and advanced readiness, directly contributing to improved survival and better clinical outcomes for stroke patients.