Stroke

Stroke does not discriminate. When it occurs, every second counts. We offer leading stroke care in Kansas City. Our highly experienced team applies the latest treatments to stop strokes fast, saving lives and preserving brain function.

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and the second worldwide. It is the leading cause of disability in the U.S., affecting 4 out of 5 families. More than 55,000 strokes occur annually in the state of Kansas alone.

There are several types of strokes:

• In an ischemic stroke, a blood clot stops blood flow to the brain.
• A transient ischemic stroke is a ministroke in which the blood clot is only temporary and symptoms disappear within an hour.
• A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel to the brain ruptures, ending blood flow to the brain.

When a stroke begins, brain cells die at the astounding rate of 1.9 million per minute.

Our stroke team is dedicated to taking care of acute stroke cases referred from anywhere in the region. It is not unusual for a helicopter and ambulance to arrive at the same time, each bringing a stroke patient who needs immediate care to our ER. In Cambridge Tower A, two biplane rooms, out of three total, enable us to care for at least two stroke patients simultaneously, whether they need stenting, clot retrieval or aneurysm coiling.

Leading skills and technologies help us achieve outcomes second to none.

The results of a recent clinical trial underscore our team's leadership in stroke care. We were among just 26 contributing sites for the DAWN trial. It yielded results poised to change the standard of stroke care forever. Findings indicated new opportunities to extend the critical window for intervention up to 24 hours after symptom onset for appropriate patients.

• We have the largest stroke team in the region. Our staff are all specialty-trained to care for patients with the most complex strokes. They are fellowship-trained, board-eligible or fellowship-trained, board-certified neurologists.
• We provide 24/7 coverage by fellowship-trained stroke subspecialists, including vascular neurosurgeons, neurointerventionalists, stroke neurologists, neurointensivists – who staff our dedicated, 28-bed neuro ICU – and neuroradiologists. This means the most experienced, most focused physicians are ready to support stroke care every moment of every day.
• Cambridge Tower A, our newest facility, houses the latest technologies required to quickly and effectively stop strokes and save lives. We can provide interventional stroke care in 11 surgical operating suites and benefit from neuro and cardiac imaging via CT, MRI, angiography and more.
• We have earned several of the field's most esteemed honors. We are certified by The Joint Commission as an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center. There is no higher distinction and no deeper commitment. We have also received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines honors for stroke care continuously since the program began. What these awards mean to you is that there is no more experienced and no more dedicated available team than ours prepared to stop stroke and help achieve the best possible recovery.
• Our leading care providers are also leading researchers. We are dedicated not only to caring for stroke survivors today, but to driving research we hope will lead to more and better treatment options. The nation's top consortiums invite our organization to participate in clinical trials. It means more treatment options for more stroke survivors.