NewYork-Presbyterian. The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell.

Neurology and Neuroscience

Treatment for Stroke

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Medical Treatment

Ischemic stroke can be treated with t-PA, a clot-dissolving medicine, when it is given within three hours of the onset of symptoms, and if a brain scan shows that there is no hemorrhaging in the brain.

Doctors at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital's cerebrovascular ultrasound laboratory use ultrasound and imaging to determine how well and where blood is flowing in the brain following a stroke to help determine a patient's risk of another stroke.

Surgical Treatment

Ischemic Stroke

If a patient with ischemic stroke arrives at the hospital more than three hours after the onset of symptoms doctors may use surgical procedures to mechanically remove a blockage in the brain vessel. With this type of procedure, known as acute stroke revascularization, doctors insert a tiny microcatheter into a lower limb blood vessel and guide it to the blockage in the brain artery. They then use either the MERCI or Penumbra system (or in some cases both) to reopen the artery. Small doses of tPA can also be delivered through the microcatheter to help break up the clot.

The American Heart
Association awarded NYP its
"Gold Plus" award for stroke
care. (click to enlarge)

• the MERCI Retriever is a tiny corkscrew-like device that can be threaded through the circulatory system and into an artery near the surface of the brain to ensnare and remove a clot.
• the Penumbra system is a device that is threaded through the circulatory system to the site of the clot in the brain where it is used to dislodge the clot and remove it with a suction device.

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is one of the leading institutions in acute stroke revascularization, a relatively new treatment for ischemic stroke.

Hemorrhagic Stroke

Patients with larger brain hemorrhages may need to undergo surgery to relieve pressure within the skull caused by bleeding. If the stroke resulted from a weakened area in a blood vessel wall (an aneurysm) or defective blood vessel, neurosurgeons can repair these areas to prevent further strokes. They may also be able to redirect blood flow to other vessels that supply the same region of the brain.

Rehabilitation

Although there is no cure for stroke, most victims now have a good chance for survival and recovery. Immediate treatment, supportive care, and rehabilitation can all improve the quality of life for stroke victims. The Rehabilitation Medicine Department at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is one of the largest in the nation. Our physicians, occupational and physical therapists, speech language pathologists, certified therapeutic recreation specialists, rehabilitation nurses, and support staff are committed to providing the highest quality care to stroke patients.