At Miami Neuroscience Institute, we understand that the faster we can treat stroke, the better the outcome. Our neurologists work closely with our emergency room teams and colleagues at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute to ensure we are providing quick, effective care for every stroke patient.
Baptist Hospital of Miami has interventional neuroradiologists and neurosurgeons from Miami Neuroscience Institute available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Our physicians can provide emergency treatment for ischemic stroke by administering clot-busting medications. We consistently deliver this treatment less than 30 minutes from the time a patient arrives in the emergency room, well below the American Heart Association’s (AHA) recommended time of 60 minutes or less. Our team is also able to start endovascular treatment to further treat the stroke within 60 minutes, below the AHA’s recommended time of 90 minutes.
These stroke treatment measures mean we have met or exceeded the requirements for a Comprehensive Stroke Center designation by the Joint Commission, which accredits U.S. healthcare organizations, along with the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association. We have also been awarded Gold recognition for the American Heart Association’s Get with the Guidelines® – Stroke program and have been recognized as a Target: Stroke Honor Roll-Elite Plus hospital.
Which strokes or stroke-related conditions are treated at Miami Neuroscience Institute?
We excel at quickly and effectively treating patients with acute ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. We also work closely with colleagues at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute to help treat patients with complex brain aneurysms, arteriovenous fistula (AVF), cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVM) and other vascular problems that may cause or increase an individual’s risk of stroke.How do Miami Neuroscience Institute experts diagnose strokes?
If you are experiencing symptoms of a stroke, we use our combined expertise and advanced imaging technology to scan you as quickly as possible to determine the cause and location of the stroke.
We use computerized tomography angiography (CTA), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and advanced perfusion imaging to look at the brain and blood vessels. These non-invasive tests can quickly and accurately show where there may be a blockage or diseased artery. This allows us to determine the most effective and fastest treatment option.
How is stroke treated at Miami Neuroscience Institute?
Our goal at Miami Neuroscience Institute is to treat every stroke quickly and effectively, so we can reduce the chance of lasting side effects or brain damage.
When a patient arrives in one of our emergency rooms with stroke symptoms, we will work with our team of expert neuroradiologists to diagnose the condition as quickly as possible and treat it with clot-busting medications, such as a tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA.
In addition to this treatment, our neurologists will work closely with physicians at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute to use the latest treatment techniques and devices, including endovascular treatment, for removing blood clots or plaque from inside arteries. Our team may also decide to use coiling or flow diverters to help prevent blood flow from getting to an aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation, reducing its chance for rupture.
Our team is also focused on helping patients reduce their risk for additional strokes. At Miami Neuroscience Institute, every stroke patient undergoes testing to determine if he or she is at risk for another stroke. If you have an increased risk, we will provide personalized education and recommendations to help reduce your risk for another stroke.
Miami Neuroscience Institute also has an advanced in-house rehabilitation program to help stroke patients lead healthier, more independent lives.
I want to say a big thank you to all of the doctors and nurses who took care of me at Baptist Hospital. They did a really great job of informing me and educating me on everything that was going on and kept me abreast of all of the developments in my case and reassuring me and my parents that they were going to do everything they could to help me.
Conditions & Treatments
- Carotid and Vertebral Arterial Dissections
- Carotid Artery Stenosis
- Cerebral Vasculitis
- Cerebrovascular Accident
- Developmental Venous Anomalies
- Hemorrhagic Stroke
- Intracranial Artery Stenosis
- Intracranial Hemorrhage
- Ruptured Brain Aneurysm
- Spinal Vascular Malformations
- Transient Ischemic Attack
- Venous Malformation Brain
- Medical Treatments for the Prevention of Stroke
- Aneurysm Clipping and Coiling
- Watchman Device for Atrial Fibrillation
- Conventional Cerebral Digital Subtraction Angiography
- Transcarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR)
- Embolectomy Clot Retrieval
- Intravascular Thrombolysis
- CLOT Thrombolysis
- Carotid Artery Stenting
- EC-IC Bypass
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Time is Brain
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Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S.
Our Approach
If you or a loved one comes to Miami Neuroscience Institute for stroke care, you can expect:
- A team that will provide rapid diagnosis and treatment to avoid long-term side effects.
- Collaboration with neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, vascular surgeons, interventional neuroradiologists and Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute physicians to provide fast, effective treatment that prevents long-term complications.
- Compassionate, comprehensive stroke care from trained specialists who are leaders in the field of neuroscience.
- Access to advanced testing, treatment and rehabilitation all under one roof.
The First Comprehensive Stroke Center in South Florida
Baptist Hospital, in partnership with Miami Neuroscience Institute, was the first hospital in South Florida certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission. This is the nation’s highest level of stroke accreditation. We also treat more stroke patients than any other South Florida hospital, providing lifesaving treatment and advanced medical services that aid recovery.
As a Comprehensive Stroke Center, Baptist has highly skilled specialists, including neurologists, neurosurgeons and interventional neuro-radiologists, who are capable of managing even the most complex stroke cases.
Stroke Treatment Clinical Trials
We are actively involved in clinical trials and are researching ways to improve stroke treatment and outcomes. Miami Neuroscience Institute is also part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) StrokeNet, a nationwide effort focused on stroke research with the goal of getting new treatments in the community faster.
If you are interested in learning more about stroke treatment clinical trials, talk with your doctor or view a list of trials here.
Frequently Asked Questions
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When a patient arrives in one of our emergency rooms with an ischemic stroke, our neurologists and emergency room team are able to diagnose and deliver clot-busting medicine in less than 30 minutes of emergency room arrival. We also work with our colleagues at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute and interventional neuroradiologists to begin endovascular treatment to further treat the stroke, usually within 60 minutes of your arrival at one of our emergency rooms.
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Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is a powerful treatment for ischemic strokes, or strokes that are caused by a blood clot in one of the brain’s blood vessels. While there are several different types of tPA treatment, the drug alteplase is the only tPA treatment approved by the FDA to treat strokes. This is the tPA we use. Alteplase helps break down and destroy blood clots, which allows for better blood flow to the brain. It is not used for hemorrhagic strokes.
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An ischemic stroke is caused by a blood clot in an artery or blood vessel, which blocks blood flow to the brain. The less-common hemorrhagic stroke happens when an artery in the brain breaks open and causes bleeding. Hemorrhagic strokes are usually the result of high blood pressure, but can also be caused by aneurysms, arteriovenous fistulas, arteriovenous malformations or sinus vein thrombosis, all of which can weaken arteries and veins.
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Advanced perfusion imaging allows us to see which parts of the brain have been damaged by stroke and which areas are still healthy or can be helped with therapy. At Miami Neuroscience Institute, we also have access to Viz.ai, an advanced perfusion software that helps us quickly spot blockages and treat strokes faster, which leads to better recovery and outcomes.