The AGH Comprehensive Stroke Center was founded in 1988 and is a designated Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission.

Allegheny General Hospital was recently awarded the 2008 Gold Annual Performance Award from the American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association for In-hospital quality stroke care.

 

 

Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) also ranks among the top 10% in the Nation for Stroke Care Services according to The Tenth Annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America Study

 

 

The AGH Comprehensive Stroke Center provides both inpatient and consultative care for stroke patients throughout Western Pennsylvania and is in the lead position to advance stroke care throughout the 6 hospitals (1800 beds) of the West Penn Allegheny Health System. Acute stroke care is provided by stroke neurologists (24 hour service) who treat eligible acute stroke patients with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and select patients for interventional stroke therapy.The AGH Stroke Center is a highly coordinated, multidisiplinary team of board certified neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuro-interventionalists with subspecialty expertise in cerebrovascular disease and provide comprehensive evaluation, treatment, prevention, and rehabilitative services for ischemic and hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disorders.

 

 

The AGH Stroke Service is comprised of:

• 3 stroke neurologists
• 2 interventional neuroradiologists
• 2 cerebrovascular surgeons
• 3 neurointensivists

What cerebrovascular conditions do we treat?

• Ischemic cerebral infarction in adults

• Transient ischemic attacks

• Intracranial large-vessel occlusive disease

• Carotid stenosis

• Small-vessel related stroke

• Cardioembolic stroke

• Intracerebral hemorrhage, brain aneurysm, and arteriovenous hemorrhage

• Cerebral Vein Thrombosis

• Aortic arch atherosclerosis

• Vertebral or carotid dissection

• Central nervous system vasculitis

• Hematologic diseases (hypercoagulable disorders)

• Moya Moya Disease

 

Approximately 1,000 neurovascular admissions per year

LifeFlight and the Emergency Department

LifeFlight is the aeromedical transportation system based at AGH and provides rapid transfer of stroke patients to AGH for acute stroke care.The JCAHO executive summary states that AGH has “excellent integration with EMS [paramedic] services” and that the “emergency department evaluation of acute stroke patients has been carefully evaluated to assess barriers to rapid stroke interventions.This has resulted in systems that support greater than 70% compliance to thrombolytic therapy within 60 minutes of patient arrival.” Earlier administration of intravenous tPA is associated with a higher probability of a good outcome in acute ischemic stroke.

 

Neuroimaging capabilities (24 hour services) at the AGH main campus include:

• 3 MRI scanners (1.5 Tesla) with diffusion and perfusion weighted imaging capability
• 4 CT Scanners (CT angiography and perfusion imaging)
• Digital subtraction cerebral angiography.
• Transcranial Doppler and carotid ultrasound

Neuroscience Units at the AGH Main Campus include:

• 23 bed Neurointensive Care Unit
• 42 bed Neuroscience Unit
• 36 bed telemetry monitored unit

 

 

Stroke Unit – stroke specific telemetry monitored unit

 

Stroke Clinic

Patients with a broad range of neurovascular disorders are evaluated in this dedicated outpatient subspecialty clinic.Patients undergo outpatient diagnostic evaluations and atherosclerotic risk factor management including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes.Diagnosis and treatment is also provided for vascular dementia, spasticity, and stroke related depression.The stroke clinic also provides continuity of care for stroke patients discharged from AGH.

Extensive Carotid revascularization experience at AGH including Carotid Endarterectomy and Carotid Angioplasty and Stenting,

Transfers/Referrals 412-359-8066 or (1-888-660-4884)

With one phone call to a transfer specialist at Allegheny General Hospital, all necessary arrangements can be made to arrange requested interhospital transfers. If necessary, we can transport patients to our facility using ambulance or helicopter service. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.