Stroke

Recognized by U.S. News & World Report

UT Southwestern Medical Center's treatment of strokes is rated as "High Performing" by U.S. News & World Report, placing us among the nation’s top hospitals for this area of care.

UT Southwestern Medical Center’s cerebrovascular disease and stroke specialists have expertise in every technique, approach, and medication that’s available to give patients who suffer from any illness involving the blood vessels of the brain, neck, or spinal cord the best possible outcomes. This separates us from other centers that have a narrower focus and expertise only on certain types of strokes.

As an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center, UT Southwestern is recognized for offering an exceptional level of expertise in rapidly diagnosing strokes and providing effective treatment options based on the latest research and the highest standards of care.

If you or a loved one is experiencing signs of a stroke, it is a medical emergency. Call 911 and go to the nearest stroke center in an ambulance.

What Is a Stroke?

A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is stopped or interrupted, due to a ruptured or blocked blood vessel. If brain cells don’t receive the oxygen and other nutrients carried by the blood, they can be damaged and can die, affecting brain function. Brain damage can also be caused by blood going into the brain tissue.

Why Choose UT Southwestern for Stroke Care?

UT Southwestern’s Robert D. Rogers Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center was recognized by Healthgrades with a 2019 Stroke Care Excellence Award. We’re also certified by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association (AHA)/American Stroke Association. The designation recognizes our team’s unique offerings that provide patients experiencing a stroke with the best possible chance of recovery. Our services include:

A coordinated team of highly trained cerebrovascular diseases and stroke specialists available 24/7 365 days a year
A stroke unit and dedicated neurocritical care unit (neuro ICU) with board-certified neurocritical care doctors on site at all times
Advanced imaging for evaluation as well as advanced medical, surgical, and endovascular interventions for treatment
Emergency care to evaluate strokes and provide immediate treatment. As an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center, we are required to have a staff and team of doctors who can perform two procedures at one time. That means we never close
Ongoing stroke research
Stroke rehabilitation
The latest treatments applied by experts who were involved in testing them

What Are the Types of Stroke?

There are three types of strokes:

Ischemic stroke: The most common type of stroke, it occurs when an obstruction such as a blood clot blocks a blood vessel that carries blood to the brain.
Transient ischemic attack (TIA): These symptoms of stroke usually resolve quickly and, by definition, do not cause damage, but they are often a warning sign of a future stroke.
Hemorrhagic stroke: This type of stroke occurs when a blood vessel breaks and bleeds into the brain.

What Are the Effects of a Stroke?

Stroke and brain function are closely linked. For every minute a stroke goes untreated, about 2 million nerve cells are lost. This damage can result in disabilities that are permanent.

Changes after a stroke depend on the area of the brain affected by the stroke. Usually a stroke involves only one side of the brain, which then impacts function on the opposite side of the body:

Right-sided stroke: The right side of the brain controls attention and ability to focus. Patients might not recognize things they see, hear, or touch, and they might have paralysis on the left side of their body.
Left-sided stroke: In most people, the left side of the brain controls the ability to speak and understand language. (In some left-handed people, the right side of the brain controls language and the left side controls awareness.) Patients might also experience paralysis on the right side of their body.
Posterior stroke: This type of stroke affects the back area of the brain, which includes the brain stem (controls multiple functions, such as cranial nerves, breathing, blood pressure, and heart rhythm), the cerebellum (controls balance and coordination), and the occipital lobes (controls vision). Patients might experience any of the following: ataxia, double vision, problems seeing to the left or right, or vertigo.

Learn more about the warning signs of a stroke.

What Stroke Rehabilitation Services Does UT Southwestern Offer?

UT Southwestern Medical Center offers the highest level of stroke care for all types and stages of strokes. As an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center, we offer advantages such as:

Having dedicated neurointensive care unit beds that provide neurocritical care 24 hours a day, seven days a week for patients with complex cerebrovascular disease.
Using advanced imaging capabilities, available at all times.
Providing care to patients diagnosed with subarachnoid hemorrhage, performing endovascular coiling or surgical clipping procedures for aneurysm, and administering IV thrombolytics with or without endovascular recanalization therapy.
Coordinating posthospital care.
Using a peer-review process to evaluate and monitor the care provided to patients with ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic strokes, including intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Participating in stroke research.

Learn more about treatments for stroke.

Stroke recovery is different for each person, but rehabilitation can help most patients regain as much function and independence as possible.

Rehabilitation at UT Southwestern starts while the patient is still in the hospital and usually continues on an outpatient basis after discharge.

UT Southwestern offers patients with brain injuries a dedicated neurorehabilitation unit. Our experts include physiatrists (specialists in physical medicine and rehabilitation); physical, occupational, and speech-language therapists; and other specialists who help patients deal with the effects of the stroke and, when possible, overcome them.

Learn more about rehabilitation after stroke.

What Clinical Trials Are Available for Stroke?

UT Southwestern also offers patients access to innovations in stroke care, including new treatment options for cerebrovascular disorders. UT Southwestern evaluates these innovative treatments for effectiveness and often then becomes the first hospital in North Texas to offer them. Speak with our doctors about clinical trial opportunities for patients who have had strokes.

Join Our Peer Mentor Program

We’re currently looking for both stroke survivors and caregivers who might be interested in participating in our Peer Support Program. This program is designed to pair current patients and caregivers with past patients and caregivers. Find out more about the program and how you can help.