Stroke Services

At Baptist Health, you can be sure you’re getting the best stroke care from highly skilled specialists at top-recognized facilities.

• Boca Raton Regional Hospital, in partnership with Marcus Neuroscience Institute, is accredited as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by DNV Healthcare.

Hospitals that earn Comprehensive Stroke Center designation provide a full spectrum of quality stroke care, including diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. Comprehensive stroke centers can treat any stroke or complication 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This means EMS teams will automatically bring stroke patients to these hospitals for immediate emergency care.

A stroke, sometimes called a “brain attack,” is a condition affecting the arteries leading to and within the brain. During a stroke, blood flow in these arteries is disrupted.

Blocked blood flow in and around the brain deprives the brain of oxygen-rich blood and nutrients. This can lead to brain cell and tissue damage.

Damage from a stroke can take only minutes. Getting treatment quickly can prevent additional damage and preserve brain function.

There are three main types of stroke:

Knowing the signs and symptoms of stroke is important so you can get help quickly. Stroke symptoms vary and can include severe headaches and fainting or loss of consciousness.

F.A.S.T is an easy way to remember the most common signs of stroke:

• F: Face drooping. One side of the face is drooping or numb, or the smile is uneven.
• A: Arm weakness. One arm is weak or numb. One arm may drift downward when both are lifted at the same time.
• S: Speech difficulty. Slurred speech, difficulty speaking, inability to repeat a simple sentence correctly when asked.
• T: Time to call 911. Call 911 immediately if you or a loved one experiences the above symptoms. If possible, write down when the symptoms first appeared so you can share this information with doctors.

*Symptoms may also include sudden loss of balance or coordination and vision changes in one or both eyes.

Our stroke experts use a variety of diagnostic imaging and radiology tests to diagnose stroke. We also use many of these tests to plan treatments. We were the first in Florida to use VIZ.ai — an artificial intelligence tool that reads and analyzes certain stroke imaging test results for faster diagnosis and treatment.

Our stroke diagnostic tests include:

At Baptist Health Brain & Spine Care, our goal is to treat every stroke quickly. Our neurologists — part of our cerebrovascular neurology team — work with our expert neuroradiologists to diagnose quickly and develop a treatment plan.

Often, stroke treatment includes clot-busting medications (called thrombolytics), such as a tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). These medications must be given to a stroke patient as soon as possible within the first hours following a stroke to help prevent long-term damage. Our team works as quickly as possible and has treated patients in as little as 20 minutes.

We also work alongside Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care physicians to offer the latest endovascular treatments for stroke. These include:

• Angioplasty and stenting. During angioplasty, surgeons use a balloon-like device to widen narrowed or blocked blood vessels. In some cases, surgeons place a stent (a small mesh tube) in the artery to help keep it open and maintain proper blood flow.
• Intra-arterial thrombolysis. During intra-arterial thrombolysis, surgeons deliver clot-dissolving medications directly to a blood clot via a catheter inserted into the affected artery. These medications help dissolve the clot and restore blood flow.
• Thrombectomy. During a thrombectomy, surgeons guide a thin tube through your blood vessel to reach a blood clot that’s causing a blocked artery in the brain. They then use a device to remove or break up the clot, restoring blood flow to the brain.

For some, a stroke causes minimal damage and recovery time is quick. Others may face a difficult or longer recovery. Baptist Health Brain & Spine Care offers a comprehensive neurorehabilitation program to help you lead a healthy, more independent life post-stroke.

Our neurorehabilitation team offers inpatient and outpatient care and includes rehabilitation physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and social workers.