Vascular Neurology (Stroke)

At Ochsner, we believe that having a team of experts makes all the difference in diagnosing and treating cerebrovascular diseases. Our approach means vascular neurologists, neurosurgeons, interventional neuroradiologists, neurocritical care specialists, advanced practice providers, and nurses all work together to care for patients. This collaboration ensures every angle is covered and helps achieve the best possible outcomes. Our goal is simple. Provide the care patients deserve with the combined expertise of an exceptional team.

What sets vascular neurology at Ochsner apart? Key factors include:

• Advanced technology: We use the latest technology and techniques in patient care. This includes RapidAI, a tool that uses advanced imaging and artificial intelligence to help doctors make quicker decisions about stroke care.

• Dedicated unit for the sickest patients: Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans is home to a neuro-intensive care unit where severely ill patients receive high-level, around-the-clock care. Patients from Ochsner hospitals and other community medical facilities can seamlessly transfer to New Orleans, ensuring access to advanced, expert care delivered by a world-class team.

• Robust research: We participate in clinical trials focused on stroke management and prevention, striving to advance patient care through innovation and research.

• Telemedicine to bring high-level stroke care closer to home: Our TeleStroke Program allows doctors at dozens of hospitals in Louisiana and Mississippi to consult Ochsner vascular neurologists via video technology. This access to specialist expertise helps keep patients safe and reduces the need to transfer them out of their communities.

Our team of board-certified, fellowship-trained physicians and advanced practice providers is dedicated to setting a high standard for quality and expertise in the region, ensuring patients receive care guided by excellence and experience. Find a vascular neurologist or an interventional neuroradiologist.

Two common conditions treated by our vascular neurologists are ischemic strokes and transient ischemic attacks. The most common type is ischemic stroke, which happens when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain. Transient ischemic attacks, often called mini-strokes, are temporary blockages of blood flow to the brain.

Our team treats many other types of cerebrovascular disease, including:

• Brain hemorrhages: Bleeding that can occur inside the brain or in the space surrounding it.

• Carotid artery disease: A blockage or narrowing of one or both of the arteries in the neck supplying the brain with blood.

• Cerebral aneurysms: When a weak area of a brain artery bulges

• Cerebrovascular malformations: Abnormal blood vessels in the brain can include conditions like arteriovenous malformations (when arteries and veins are tangled) and venous malformations (when veins are formed abnormally).

• Cervical artery dissections: Tears in the arteries that transport blood to the brain.

• Intracranial atherosclerosis: Buildup of plaque in the arteries that carry blood to the brain, potentially leading to narrowing and blockages.

• Moyamoya disease: When blockages in the arteries at the base of the brain lead to the development of small vessels to carry blood to the organ.

• Vasculitis: Inflammation that can affect blood vessels in parts of the central nervous system, such as the brain and spinal cord.

We provide a full range of stroke treatments and make every effort to care for patients close to home. This includes offering virtual visit consultations with experts from the Neuroscience Institute. If the necessary treatment isn’t available at your local hospital, we will stabilize you and arrange for transfer to another facility to ensure you receive the care required.

For ischemic strokes, a key treatment is thrombolytics, an intravenous medication that can break up stroke-causing blood clots. Patients can only receive thrombolytics three to four and a half hours after stroke symptoms begin. Some patients need a procedure called thrombectomy to remove a blood clot and restore blood flow.

We can treat brain hemorrhages, or bleeding in the brain, using a variety of methods, depending on the cause. These include blood pressure medications and surgeries to stop bleeding or repair abnormalities of arteries or veins.

We provide stroke treatment as well as patient education about stroke risk factors and ways to prevent strokes. Partnering with specialists, such as cardiologists and vascular and endovascular surgeons, ensures treatment for conditions that may contribute to stroke. Neurological rehabilitation services are also available to help stroke patients rebuild strength, regain functional skills, and achieve long-term success in their recovery.

Stroke isn’t the only cerebrovascular disease our vascular neurologists treat. Our team offers a wide range of procedures to treat non-stroke disorders of blood flow to the brain.

Recovering from a stroke can be physically and mentally challenging, but with the proper support, meaningful progress is possible. We offer long-term care options focused on recovery and empowerment to aid patients on this path.

One such resource is the Stroke Mobile program in New Orleans. This free program, led by a registered nurse and a health educator with specialized training in stroke care, provides up to a year of dedicated support for recovery and rehabilitation. Through the program, patients can work toward maintaining independence, rebuilding confidence, and reducing the risk of future strokes. For more information about the Stroke Mobile program, call 504-559-2710.

Joining a support group offers a valuable opportunity to connect with fellow stroke survivors who understand recovery's challenges and triumphs. Support groups are available in Gretna, Kenner, and Lafayette, providing a welcoming space for shared experiences, encouragement and growth.

• Healthgrades consistently ranks Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans among the top 5% in the United States for stroke treatment.
• Ochsner Health received the Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Certification from The Joint Commission.
• U.S. News & World Report named Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center a "High-Performing" hospital for stroke care.
• Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport - Academic Medical Center was the first facility in North Louisiana to earn Comprehensive Stroke Center certification.
• For over a decade, U.S. News & World Report has rated Ochsner Medical Center—New Orleans nationally in neurology and neurosurgery.
• U.S. News & World Report named Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans a "High-Performing" hospital for stroke care.

As a Joint Commission Disease Specific Comprehensive Stroke Certified Hospital, the Ochsner Stroke Program collects demographic and outcome data to continuously improve the program and outcomes of our patients.

More than half of Ochsner's stroke patients are discharged home to their families allowing them to enjoy life in the most comfortable environment.

Ischemic stroke occurs as a result of an obstruction within a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain. It accounts for 87% of all stroke cases.

Hemorrhagic stroke accounts for about 13% of all stroke cases. It results from a weakened vessel that ruptures and bleeds into the surrounding brain. The blood accumulates and compresses the surrounding brain tissue. The two types of hemorrhagic stroke are intracerebral (within the brain) and subararachnoid.

Mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke is a minimally invasive procedure in which the clot responsible for the stroke is removed from the artery in the brain. This procedure is performed by highly specialized physicians and be safely performed only on patients who meet certain criteria. A thrombectomy allows for reestablishment of blood flow for brain tissue in order to minimize the damage of the stroke.

There are several other procedures that a stroke patient may have to undergo during their hospitalization. These procedures are performed by highly specialized physicians including vascular surgeons, neuroradiologists and neurosurgeons.

Stroke symptoms appear suddenly. They include numbness or weakness in the face or on one side of the body. Disrupted vision, difficulty walking or maintaining balance, difficulty speaking, and an intense headache may also occur.

Call 911 right away. The sooner medical care begins, the better.

The longer the brain goes without oxygenated blood, the more brain cells die. Acting quickly means you can receive treatment, such as thrombolytics, as soon as possible. That can reduce the risk of long-term effects from stroke.