A stroke occurs when normal blood flow to the brain is interrupted, the blood vessel ruptures, or bleeding occurs in the brain. Within minutes, brain cells start dying. Fast diagnosis and treatment of a stroke
- If an ischemic stroke takes place (caused when a clot blocks blood flow to the brain), getting to the right hospital as soon as possible enables medical teams to remove or dissolve the clot through a number of procedures.
As part of the emergency team that responds 24/7 to stroke, our neurovascular specialists use both transcatheter thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy to open blocked vessels in the brain.
- With hemorrhagic stroke (caused when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures), the faster the individual can receive surgery to prevent re-bleeding, the less likely the chance of serious disability or death.
Riverside offers the most advanced treatment of stroke, as well as brain aneurysms, including placement of the pipeline device; AVMs (a tangle of blood vessels in the brain); dural AV fistula (abnormal connections between an artery and a vein); and carotid artery stenting, among others.
Innovative diagnosis and treatment
- 128-slice CT scanner. Images of the brain can be seen in far greater detail than traditional 64-slice scanners for more accurate stroke diagnosis.
- RAPID neuroimaging platform. This system creates high-quality images from a variety of imaging modalities, including CT scans and MRI studies, and color codes the images highlighting areas of the brain that could potentially be saved while delivering reconstructed images to physicians in minutes.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging. An MRI uses powerful radio waves and magnets to create a detailed view of your brain. An MRI can detect brain tissue damaged by an ischemic stroke and brain hemorrhages. Your doctor may inject a dye into a blood vessel to view the arteries and veins and highlight blood flow (magnetic resonance angiography, or magnetic resonance venography).
- Neurointerventional biplane angiography technology. This system helps diagnose stroke and other neurological abnormalities and treat them with minimally invasive procedures such as clot removal, aneurysm repair, open carotid artery blockages, and even severe nosebleeds. This dedicated equipment uses special instruments threaded inside the blood vessels of the brain and neck.
Riverside rehabilitation options
- Acute rehabilitation. Riverside Rehabilitation Institute is a 50-bed, full-service physical rehabilitation facility located on the scenic Hampton Roads waterfront in Newport News, Virginia. It is the largest,
single purposerehabilitation facility in Virginia.
- Skilled care. Patients can benefit from short-term, intensive rehabilitation at several skilled nursing and rehab facilities in our service area.
- Outpatient therapy. Available through physician referral, the comprehensive therapy offerings at Riverside include: physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, pain management services, and neuropsychology.
Technology and tools
- Bioness equipment. Riverside and Bioness collaborate to offer rehab technology that improves function and quality of life for patients recovering from stroke, spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injuries.
- 3D Printed Glove Technology. Riverside is involved in a clinical trial that is testing some of the latest non-invasive advancements in helping stroke and neuro patients regain function in their hands with the use of a glove that stimulates recovery and movement in the hand.
Riverside’s Telestroke program extends the expertise of our neurosciences team to emergency department physicians at other hospitals and is available throughout the Riverside system.
Riverside Regional Medical Center is Southeast Virginia’s only Comprehensive Stroke Center. Riverside Doctors’ Hospital Williamsburg, Riverside Walter Reed Hospital, and Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital are certified Primary Stroke Centers.
These certifications are evaluated on an annual basis, so the Riverside Stroke Centers are always reviewing and improving the care they deliver to stroke patients.