The Trust is celebrating after completing a century of operations aimed at preventing possible strokes.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust has achieved the milestone of ‘100 not out’ less than five years after carrying out the first medical procedure in the old Selly Oak Hospital.

The procedure, known as thrombolysis, involves injecting a clot-dissolving drug into a vein. The drug then acts on the clot in the patient’s brain, thereby preventing or reducing the risk of strokes.

And having become the first Birmingham hospital to offer the service in 2007, UHB has now completed its 100^th case.

UHB stroke consultant Dr Don Sims said: “To pass a hundred cases is quite a milestone and very pleasing after becoming the first centre in Birmingham to offer the service in 2007.

“In fact, we have now treated 105 patients but what is especially pleasing is the results that we have achieved.

“Three months after their procedure, a third of our patients have no residual symptoms whatsoever and another 25 per cent have symptoms so mild so as not to impair their quality of life. This compares very favourably with national outcomes.”

Added Dr Sims: “In total, well over half the people treated have returned to a fully independent existence when previously they may have had significant stroke symptoms impairing their quality of life and maybe requiring them to have full time carers.”