Most people are familiar with the signs of a heart attack, but few fully understand the signs of a stroke. However, knowing the signs and putting yourself immediately in the hands of medical professionals who know how to react can make all the difference in achieving a full recovery.

The University of Toledo is raising the region’s health care to a higher degree of healing with new neurovascular X-ray technology and a comprehensive stroke network that will enable more rapid identification and treatment intervention for patients who show signs of stroke.

The University of Toledo Medical Center hospital leaders will introduce a new team of stroke neurointerventionalists and showcase the new technology during a ribbon cutting at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, July 9, in the cardiovascular laboratory.

If you or someone you love is experiencing symptoms like sudden numbness or weakness of face, sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding, trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, or sudden severe headache with no known cause, a neurointernventionalist may be able to rapidly provide treatment using minimally invasive techniques to avoid the potentially devastating consequences of stroke.

“By developing this robust network that includes the expertise of these highly specialized physicians, UTMC is able to bring to the community and the region the absolute best care for those suffering a stroke,” said Dr. Scott Scarborough, senior vice president and executive director of UT Medical Center. “Our team approach is simply the best way to ensure that your loved ones have the greatest likelihood of identifying signs of stroke and limiting its damaging effects.”

“Intervention is the key to limiting the effects of stroke,” said Dr. Jeffery P. Gold, chancellor, executive vice president for biosciences and health affairs, and dean of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences. “By bringing together our outstanding group of neurologists and neurointerventionalists, and leveraging the latest technology, we are seeing in real-time what issues exist and are able to provide treatment unlike any other in the region. Simply put, if you show signs of a stroke, having access to an interventionalist significantly enhances your chance for full recovery.”

The new Philips Allura Xper FD20/20 equipped biplane suite will be unveiled at the event. The machine offers the ability for a full “north-to-south/east-to-west” view of the brain, giving physicians a complete picture to the team that can react immediately.

Media Coverage
13 ABC, WTOL 11 and WNWO (July 9, 2012)
The Blade (July 10, 2012)

Tags: The University of Toledo Medical Center (UTMC)