Stroke Center
Patients diagnosed with strokes are typically admitted to the dedicated inpatient Stroke Unit at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital or to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), depending on their condition. The stroke team performs additional diagnostic tests to determine the cause of the stroke and the extent of any brain damage and uses the results of their evaluation to plan each patient's treatment.
A Higher Level of Stroke Care
NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital is the only hospital in Brooklyn to be certified by the Joint Commission as a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center. To receive this prestigious designation, a hospital needs to meet specific requirements set by the Joint Commission and the New York State Department of Health to perform endovascular procedures (to remove blood clots in the brain when medication is not sufficient) and post-procedural care, as well as an overall higher level of stroke care. The benefits to our patients and the community include:
- A more consistent approach to stroke care along the whole continuum of care.
- More strict standards, reducing the risk of error.
- Information relayed to each patient's electronic medical record, which helps expedite care if a patient qualifies for an endovascular procedure.
- Improved acquisition of new equipment and staff for stroke care.
National Recognition
Our stroke program has earned the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus award as well as a spot on the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus.
Hospitals receiving Get With The Guidelines® Gold Plus Achievement Award have reached an aggressive goal of treating patients with 85 percent or higher compliance to core standard levels of care as outlined by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association® for two consecutive calendar years. In addition, those hospitals have demonstrated 75 percent compliance (four out of ten heart failure quality measures or seven out of ten stroke quality measures) during the 12-month period.
Experience Caring for People with All Types of Stroke
Ischemic strokes—the most common type— are due to blockages in the arteries supplying blood to the brain, while hemorrhagic strokes involve bleeding in the brain. At NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist, our stroke specialists are highly experienced treating both types of strokes, using advanced treatments to prevent further damage to brain tissue.
Immediate Clot-Busting Treatment
Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a clot-busting drug for ischemic strokes, is effective when given within three hours of the onset of stroke symptoms in people who do not have bleeding in the brain. Rapid tPA treatment is associated with better outcomes and is a hallmark of effective stroke care at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist.
Advanced Endovascular Therapies
Endovascular treatment is used for ischemic strokes that do not resolve with tPA or in patients for whom tPA is no longer a treatment option. We use "mechanical clot extraction," inserting a special device through a catheter (flexible tube) advanced to the site of the blockage to remove the clot and restore blood flow. We may also remove clots or plaque in the carotid arteries supplying blood to the brain, reroute the blood supply to get around an obstruction, or insert a stent to reduce the risk of a second stroke.
Early Stroke Rehabilitation
Stroke rehabilitation at the bedside, under the direction of a physiatrist (a physician specializing in rehabilitation medicine), generally begins as soon as a patient's vital signs are stable—usually within 48 hours. Rehabilitation therapy continues in our inpatient rehabilitation unit or at a long-term care facility and may include physical, occupational, and speech/language therapy. Rehabilitation is designed to help patients regain lost function, build strength and endurance, and improve communication (for patients who have lost some of the ability to speak and gesture . Our team also coordinates follow-up care through a home care agency if needed.
Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit
NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital — in partnership with Weill Cornell Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, and the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) — launched the first Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit (MSTU) in Brooklyn. The unit is deployed via the FDNY through New York City's 911 system. The MSTU emergency vehicle is designed to provide immediate, specialized care to people who may be having a stroke — bringing NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist's advanced technologies, expert staff, and lifesaving stroke treatment to more people in need.