Stroke Care
When it comes to treating stroke, time is brain. The sooner the care, the better the outcome.
The Midwest Institute for Neurosciences at Silver Cross Hospital is here for you with experienced specialists offering the full continuum of stroke care.
And for your added peace of mind, Silver Cross is certified by the Joint Commission as an Advanced Primary Stroke Center. That means we have all the care, technology and resources you or your loved ones need for the highest-quality stroke care - and the very best outcomes.
Stroke Treatment
Time is brain, and thanks to the advanced care available at the Midwest Institute for Neurosciences at Silver Cross, the treatment window for stroke can now be greatly extended. When every second counts, nothing matters more to you and your loved ones than having additional time.
Our comprehensive stroke program features everything our patients need starting with a prompt diagnosis; the latest clot-busting therapies; remote monitoring through our tele-stroke program; interventional procedures using the most advanced equipment available anywhere; excellent inpatient care; world-class inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation care; and a monthly support group.
The Latest Technology
Even before a patient with signs of stroke arrives in the Silver Cross Emergency Department, a Code Stroke protocol is activated, calling together a team of experts ready to care for you or a loved one. Treatments include:
Thrombolytic drugs
Most strokes are caused by blood clots that block the flow of blood to the brain. Clot-busting drugs available at Silver Cross help dissolve these blood clots, but prompt treatment is critical.
Neuro-Interventional Procedures in our Biplane Angiography Suite
This equipment allows specialists to extend the treatment window to stop a stroke, and even reverse its effect. Biplane imaging allows doctors to follow the path of blood flow through your blood vessels and create a “roadmap” for reaching and treating the precise location of a stroke or malformation. With the biplane angiography system at Silver Cross, endovascular and surgical procedures are performed faster and with a greater level of safety than ever before.
Advanced Primary Stroke Center
As a Certified Primary Stroke Center, Silver Cross Hospital has demonstrated its ability to provide expert stroke care around the clock. A multi-disciplinary team that includes highly skilled neurologists, neuro-interventionalists, emergency department specialists, radiologists, neurosurgeons, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, technicians and more...works together in a coordinated, collaborative system to ensure the best outcomes for patients who've suffered a stroke.
Signs of a Stroke:
An ischemic stroke (the most common type of stroke) occurs when a blockage prevents blood flow to a part of the brain. If you are experiencing stroke symptoms, call 911 and get to the nearest hospital for lifesaving stroke care.
- Sudden loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden blurred, double, or loss of vision
- Severe headache with no known cause
- Numbness or weakness on one side of the body
- Dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Confusion or trouble speaking
Use the following FAST acronym to determine if you or a loved one may be experiencing a stroke:
B BALANCE: Are you experiencing a sudden loss of balance or coordination?
E EYES: Do you notice sudden blurriness, double, or loss of vision?
F FACE: Smile – Does one side of your face seems to droop?
A ARMS: Raise both arms – Does one arm drift downward?
S SPEECH: Repeat a simple phrase – Is your speech slurred?
T TIME: If you or a loved one has any of these warning signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.
Risk Factors of Stroke:
