Stroke Treatment

Stroke Treatment

Caring for a Stroke

Stroke is a medical emergency. It is a brain attack and happens when blood flow to an area of the brain is cut off. Brain cells deprived of oxygen quickly begin to die, which can result in temporary or permanent loss of speech, movement, vision, balance, and memory.

Munson Healthcare hospitals in Cadillac, Charlevoix, Gaylord, Grayling, Frankfort, Kalkaska, Manistee and Traverse City have protocols and processes in place to quickly diagnose and evaluate a stroke and provide interventional care when necessary.

Clinical Research

Munson Healthcare’s stroke team will contribute to the MERG/MISTIC statewide thrombectomy database as well as our Munson Healthcare internal databases. Our team will also contribute to Michigan Medicine registries in the future.

Stroke Procedures

The stroke team has the most advanced technology and training to perform thorough tests to determine which procedures are recommended. Testing may include a diagnostic cerebral angiogram and a rapid artificial intelligence CT perfusion scan. These critical tests are key to making minutes matter as the team may choose to do a thrombectomy, angiogram, embolization and combination of other life-saving procedures. Learn more about the life-saving procedures for stroke patients at Munson Healthcare.

Open Cranial Surgical Procedures

  • Carotid Endarterectomy for symptomatic carotids meeting criteria
  • Cerebral Bypass for aneurysm, atherosclerotic symptomatic occlusion or Moya Moya disease
  • Craniotomy (including minimally-invasive craniotomy) for aneurysm, AVM (arteriovenous malformation) or vascular lesion (cavernoma)
  • Hemicraniectomy for stroke or trauma
  • Minimally-invasive hematoma evacuation (MIPS: Minimally-invasive Parafasicular Surgery)

Minimally-Invasive Endovascular Procedures

  • Aneurysm coiling, and embolization with flow diversion (Pipeline, WEB)
  • AVM embolization
  • Balloon test occlusions, parent vessel sacrifice, WADA testing, selective WADA testing
  • C1/2 cisternal taps
  • Carotid artery stenting for atherosclerosis, dissection, or carotid blowout
  • CT perfusion imaging with RAPID software for expedited ischemic and hemorrhagic management capabilities
  • Diagnostic cerebral angiography (transradial)
  • Diagnostic cerebral venography
  • Epistaxis embolization
  • ETOH injection for superficial venous malformation of head and neck
  • Intra-arterial thrombolytic or spasmolytic therapy for headaches, RCVS, and subarachnoid hemorrhage
  • Intracranial angioplasty and stenting for symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic disease
  • Mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke
  • Middle meningeal artery embolization for subdural hematoma management
  • Non-invasive risk management and continued follow up for our neurovascular patients
  • Spinal Angiography
  • Subclavian vertebral artery stenting
  • Trans Carotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR)
  • Tumor embolization (head, neck, and spine)
  • Venous sinus pressure monitoring, venous sinus stenting (psuedotumor/chronic headache, idiopathic intracranial hypertension)

Telestroke with Michigan Medicine

Munson Healthcare is bringing Telestroke to northern Michigan with help from Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor, Mich. Video conferencing technology allows our care team to meet quickly and remotely with stroke patients and other care providers to review imaging and discuss treatment. This process can significantly decrease response time and increases the chance for best patient outcomes.

Transfer Process

When it comes to stroke care, two things are critical:

  • Time between stroke onset and treatment
  • Distance between onset and treatment

In northern Michigan, unpredictable travel conditions can result in dangerous or delayed travel. A one hour delay in treatment is the equivalent of the brain aging by four years—meaning a delay in transportation to an endovascular capable facility can lead to up to 16 years of aging.

Stroke patients requiring interventional care can now be transferred to Munson Medical Center by helicopter or ambulance depending on distance and stroke severity. This means our medical teams can provide comprehensive care for even the most complex of scenarios and respond faster to the needs of our communities.