Treatments

The WVU Stroke Team includes specialists from the fields of neurosurgery, neurology, radiology and emergency medicine.

The newest drug therapies and state-of-the-art technologies are offered to provide timely treatment of stroke, in order to minimize permanent damage.

Prevention and rehabilitation services also are offered.

Available treatments include Thrombolytic Agents and Stents

• Thrombolytic Agents
  • Intra-arterial rtPA
  • Intravenous rtPA
• Stents
• Carotid Angioplasty
• MERCI Retriever Device

In 1996, the FDA approved the use of a new drug called tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, for the treatment of stroke.

The drug is used to dissolve blood clots and restore blood flow that cause many strokes. These drugs and also reduce the amount of damage strokes produce.

The largest drawback to this type of intervention is time, these drugs must be given within three hours from the start of symptoms to be effective.