Dr. Robert FahedDr. Robert Fahed saves lives by pulling blood clots out of the brains of stroke patients. 

This minimally invasive procedure called thrombectomy has revolutionized stroke care, and Dr. Fahed wants as many patients as possible to benefit. However, he’s concerned that some of the algorithms used to determine which people are eligible may be missing some patients. 

Dr. Fahed is testing these algorithms to make sure they give the same answers when assessed by different physicians, or on two different imaging machines. He also recently launched a randomized clinical trial to compare two different ways of treating abnormal tangles of blood vessels (called arteriovenous malformations), with treatment delivered either through the veins or the arteries. 

He has also done animal research to test new endovascular devices delivered through the blood vessels, and is interested in continuing this work with The Ottawa Hospital’s basic researchers.

“Thrombectomy saves lives and reduces disability in patients with stroke. I’d like to see as many patients benefit from it as possible," he said.

Dr. Fahed was recently appointed as an associate scientist in the Neuroscience Program at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. He is an interventional neuroradiologist and stroke neurologist at The Ottawa Hospital, and assistant professor at the University of Ottawa.

The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa.