King Abdullah Medical City in Mecca, a member of the Mecca Health Cluster, achieved a significant medical milestone in 2025. The Interventional Neuroradiology Department successfully saved the lives of 260 patients who faced serious health risks, ranging from certain death to permanent disability. This achievement reflects the rapid development of specialized healthcare services provided by the Kingdom to pilgrims and citizens alike.
In detailing this achievement, the medical city explained that its healthcare staff efficiently managed 140 critical cases of patients suffering from acute strokes. These patients underwent emergency and delicate cerebral catheterization procedures aimed at removing blood clots and restoring blood flow to the brain, directly contributing to averting the threat of hemiplegia or total paralysis and enabling them to regain their health and vital functions.
Medical interventions also included managing 120 other cases of severe cerebral hemorrhage resulting from arteriovenous malformations and aneurysms. These cases required highly skilled and precise surgical techniques to close the sources of bleeding using the latest global technologies, thus preserving vital brain tissue and preventing further neurological damage.
Historical context and advanced infrastructure
This achievement is not a coincidence, but rather the culmination of accumulated experience that began with the department's establishment in 2015, making it the leading regional center for the treatment of neurovascular diseases in the Western Region. These services are of exceptional importance given the medical city's geographical location in Mecca, which receives millions of pilgrims and Umrah performers annually. This places significant challenges on the healthcare system, requiring maximum preparedness to handle emergency and complex cases that may affect pilgrims of all ages and nationalities.
The “Saving Lives” Path and Vision 2030
The department operates according to a strategic pathway known as "saving lives," a highly efficient protocol that ensures an immediate response from the moment a patient arrives at the emergency department. This pathway relies on rapid diagnosis using artificial intelligence systems and advanced medical imaging, leading to a race against time in the operating rooms, where minutes are crucial in treating strokes to minimize complications.
Behind these successes stands a multidisciplinary team comprising leading consultants in neurology and neurosurgery, neuroanesthesia, and intensive care, supported by state-of-the-art technological infrastructure and catheterization labs. These efforts directly contribute to achieving the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, specifically the Health Sector Transformation Program, which aims to improve access to healthcare services, enhance quality of life, and reduce mortality and disability rates resulting from chronic and acute illnesses.
