Time matters when you are being admitted to the hospital for a stroke. In fact, every second counts.
Now, patients who are experiencing acute stroke symptoms or other neurological episodes can go to Cooper University Health Care’s Neurological Institute‘s new, dedicated Acute Stroke and Neuro Interventional Suite within its Emergency Department — the first of its kind in the nation — for what Cooper officials said will represent a new level of care.
The suite officially opens Wednesday morning.
As the first comprehensive stroke center in the U.S. equipped with the latest technology, Cooper officials say they will utilize the newest Siemens Healthineers biplane angiography suite integrated with a CT scanner, which provides fully integrated surgical image guidance for minimally invasive treatment of strokes.
The new suite is designed to treat emergent and non-emergent forms of cerebrovascular disease, including acute stroke of any type, cerebral aneurysms, carotid artery disease and other vascular conditions affecting the brain and spinal cord.
Dr. Anthony Mazzarelli, co-CEO of Cooper and practicing emergency medicine physician, said the Camden-based hospital is transforming neurological care in the region with this opening. Its “one-stop shop” approach represents an innovative model of care addressing the critically time-sensitive nature of neurovascular emergencies.
Benefits of the new unit include:
- Patients will no longer have transfer times from the ED to a CT scanner or from CT scanner to a procedural suite;
- Patients will be evaluated and treated right where they enter the hospital;
- Patients will be able to receive intravenous clot-busting medical treatment, thrombectomy and other interventional procedures within the unit.
With the time-saving processes, brain tissue is also saved, which leads to better clinical outcomes.
Mazzarelli said every second will count.
“Time is of the essence for many neurological issues, particularly strokes, and this new model of care — locating this suite in the Emergency Department — will save valuable time in treating patients brought to Cooper in critical condition,” he said.
George Norcross III, the chairman of the board of trustees of Cooper University Health Care, Cooper University Hospital and MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, said the unit will have tremendous impact in the community.
“The new Acute Stroke and Neuro Interventional Suite will continue to build on Cooper’s ability to provide the highest level of services to our patients and the region and save lives,” he said.
“Particularly for stroke, every second counts, and having a specialized care unit inside the Emergency Department will help save precious time. It is yet another, but certainly not the last, major first for Cooper and South Jersey.”
Co-CEO Kevin O’Dowd said the state-of-the-art suite will be staffed around-the-clock by Cooper’s neuroendovascular team.
“Cooper continues to invest in neurosciences by bringing top specialists and innovative technologies to our patients,” he said. “This new facility takes neurological care to a new level that will ultimately save lives when every minute counts.”
The Cooper Neurological Institute offers diagnostic and treatment options for a wide range of conditions, including stroke, epilepsy, headache, Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, dementia, brain tumors, traumatic brain injury, hydrocephaulus and disorders of the spine, as well as neuromuscular conditions.
In addition to emergency procedures, the suite also will be available for elective procedures for patients suffering non-emergent neurological conditions.
Dr. Hamza Shaikh, co-director of neurointerventional surgery, said, the setup will make a difference.
“The fact that this highly specialized unit is located adjacent to the Emergency Department and is staffed around the clock will undoubtedly save lives,” he said.
