Description
Clinical placement in the Neurological Intervention & Imaging Service of WA, the state-wide, cross-campus neurointerventional and advanced neuroimaging service of Western Australia, organised through the MD course at UWA.Aims:
1. To expose students to the role of endovascular and minimally invasive therapy in the management of neurovascular conditions such as
a. subarachnoid haemorrhage
b. intracranial aneurysms
c. hyperacute ischaemic strokes
d. craniocervical vascular occlusive diseases
e. cerebral and spinal vascular malformations
f. epistaxis
g. hypervascular craniospinal tumours requiring devascularization
h. Lesions requiring invasive transvascular neurophysiological or biochemical testing
2. To increase student confidence in understanding the symptoms and signs of subarachnoid haemorrhage and acute ischemic stroke as well as the presentations of other neurovascular pathologies
3. To increase student confidence in working as a junior medical officer in a subspecialist quaternary unit, including communication with patients, families and other health professionals
4. To give students an understanding of the role and limitations of different forms of neuroimaging
Objectives:
1. To be able to recognise the signs and symptoms, as well as the investigations and appropriate referral pathways for acute neurovascular emergencies
2. To understand the advantages and disadvantages of endovascular coiling versus neurosurgical clipping for intracranial aneurysms
3. To understand the role of neuroimaging and endovascular treatment in the care of intracranial vasospasm
4. To understand the role of endovascular neurothrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke
5. To learn and practice the role of a junior medical officer in a subspecialist quaternary unit, including daily clinical examination of patients, arrangement of ongoing investigations, liaison with other clinical teams, preparations for patient discharge, and follow-up of patients in clinic under close supervision
6. To work collaboratively in the multidisciplinary environment of the neurointerventional suite, intensive care, high dependency unit and the neurosciences ward
7. To understand the role of diagnostic neuroradiology in the management of neurological conditions