PRESS Contact: RELEASE Teri Retana, Asst. Vice President of Strategic Marketing & Communication Valley Baptist Health System, Phone: (956) 389-1950 or 371-1017 teri.retana@valleybaptist.net www.valleybaptist.net MEDICAL RESEARCH WITH VALLEY STROKE PATIENTS PRESENTED AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN PHILADELPHIA Dr. Ameer Hassan conducting trials with stroke patients at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen HARLINGEN, Oct. 2013 - Medical research on stroke treatment for Valley patients was recently presented at an international conference in Philadelphia. The research was conducted by Dr. Ameer Hassan, the Valley s first specially-trained Endovascular Neurologist, whose interventional stroke treatments have given Valley patients a longer time window in which to survive strokes or brain attacks. Dr. Hassan performs the procedures in a speciallyequipped biplane lab / neurovascular angiography suite at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen. The procedures help to clear blockages in the blood vessels leading to a patient s brain -- allowing blood and oxygen to once again reach the brain. In many cases, this can help save the patient s life and prevent or minimize disabilities from the stroke. At the recent International Congress of Interventional Neurology in Philadelphia, Dr. Hassan orally presented his findings for a research trial entitled PLEASENoCTP: Prospective Late Endovascular Treatment in Acute Ischemic Stroke Evaluating Non-Contrast Head CT versus CT Perfusion.
Dr. Hassan said that stroke patients traditionally have been screened with non-contrast cranial computed tomographic (CT) scans as the most rapid method of selecting if they could potentially benefit from endovascular stroke treatments. One advantage of this method of CT scans is that no dye or contrast material has to be injected into the patient -- which saves time in emergency situations. However, recently a few studies have found that dynamic CT perfusion images of the brain which does require injection of a dye or contrast material -- were more accurate than the non-contrast CT scans in detecting ischemic strokes when patients come to the hospital less than 12 hours after first experiencing symptoms of a possible stroke. Many physicians, therefore, have placed new emphasis on using the CT perfusion (CTP) imaging method in selecting patients for endovascular stroke treatments. However, Dr. Hassan s research showed there are limitations to CT perfusion imaging, relating to the acquisition and interpretation of the images produced using that method. For one, the time involved in performing and interpreting additional imaging can delay treatment for patients when time is of the essence, to save as much brain tissue as possible. In addition, Dr. Hassan s research showed that some of the images obtained with CT perfusion are not interpretable, thereby providing little useful information to the neurologists trying to decide whether the treatment would benefit the patient. Dr. Hassan concluded that CT perfusion imaging did NOT increase the rate of short-term favorable outcomes among stroke patients receiving endovascular stroke treatments. There is considerable lack of agreement, even among stroke specialists, in selecting acute ischemic stroke patients for endovascular treatment based on CT perfusion changes, Dr. Hassan said. This mandates a careful evaluation of CT-P for patient selection before widespread adoption. Dr. Hassan said that additional studies are needed to validate the CT perfusion criteria and protocols currently in use. These additional studies should be conducted using the latest medical devices for stroke treatment -- such as retrievable stents and penumbra clot-removing devices -- before incorporating CT perfusion as a routine patient selection modality for acute ischemic stroke treatments, he added. Dr. Hassan s research has involved 55 patients receiving stroke treatments either at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, or at the University of Minnesota, where
Dr. Hassan completed Fellowships in Stroke and Neurocritical Care and in Endovascular Surgical Neuroradiology, prior to coming to the Valley. Another aspect of Dr. Hassan s research on stroke treatment will be featured during an upcoming Scientific Sessions 2013 international conference on stroke and cardiovascular disease treatment November 16-20 in Dallas. That research -- during which Dr. Hassan concluded that many patients undergoing interventional stroke procedures should be allowed to continue breathing on their own during the procedure, rather than having to be placed on a ventilator was recently accepted as being in the top 10 percent of research in the nation by the American Heart Association. Dr. Hassan, who serves as Clinical Director of Endovascular Surgical Neuroradiology and Neurocritical Care and Clinical Neuroscience Research at Valley Baptist, said the various research efforts are helping to put the Valley on the map for top-level research in stroke treatment and prevention. Dr. Hassan also serves an Assistant Professor of Neurology and Radiology with the University of Texas School of Health Sciences-San Antonio. He has authored or coauthored more than 50 articles in national medical journals. One of the co-authors with Dr. Hassan during the latest research is Dr. Wondwossen Tekle, who has also completed two fellowships at the University of Minnesota and who recently joined Dr. Hassan as the only two neurologists in the Valley performing endovascular stroke treatments. Together, Dr. Hassan and Dr. Tekle are helping to save lives from throughout the Valley, through 24-hour endovascular stroke coverage provided by the Valley Baptist Brain and Spine Network. Along with Dr. Hassan and Dr. Tekle, two other physicians are serving Valley stroke patients at the Valley Baptist Brain and Spine Network - Dr. Victoria Parada, Board- Certified Vascular Neurologist and Clinical Director of Neurosciences and the Stroke Program at Valley Baptist- Harlingen, and Dr. Felix Rivera, Neurologist. Dr. Parada said it s critical for Valley residents to learn the warning signs of stroke -- and to call 911 immediately if they or their loved one experiences symptoms.
Seventy percent of the stroke victims don t reach the hospital within the first three hours after stroke symptoms begin because they lack awareness of the importance of prompt recognition and treatment of symptoms of stroke, Dr. Parada said. Every minute spent without treatment means more brain cells die. Dr. Parada stressed that Valley Baptist has a committed stroke team willing to make every effort to help our patients to restore functioning and prevent disability. For more information about prevention and treatment for stroke, consult your physician and visit www.valleybaptist.net.
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION Dr. Parada said it s important for Valley residents to know the following warning signs of stroke and teach them to others because with stroke, every second counts: Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg especially on one side of the body Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination Sudden severe headache with no known cause Dr. Hassan s research was also featured during an International Stroke Conference in Hawaii in February 2013. In addition, Dr. Hassan serves as the lead investigator for research that is continuing at Valley Baptist-Harlingen on the use of an anti-platelet drug, Cilostazol, in the prevention of stroke.
PHOTO SPECIALITY NEUROLOGISTS - Dr. Ameer Hassan and Dr. Wondwossen Tekle are the only two neurologists in the Valley performing endovascular stroke treatments, which have given Valley patients a longer time window in which to survive strokes or brain attacks. Together, Dr. Hassan and Dr. Tekle are helping to save lives from throughout the Valley, through 24-hour endovascular stroke coverage provided by the Valley Baptist Brain and Spine Network in Harlingen.
STROKE RESEARCH - Dr. Ameer Hassan, Endovascular Neurologist at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, recently presented findings for a research trial involving stroke patients in the Valley at an international conference in Philadelphia.
STROKE TEAM - The life-saving Stroke Team at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen is committed to making every effort to help Valley stroke patients restore functioning and prevent disability.
About Valley Baptist Health System Valley Baptist Health System is an 866-bed faith-based regional health system located in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. It is focused on helping people achieve health for life through compassionate service inspired by faith. Valley Baptist extends many of its services beyond its facilities and into local communities, offering free screenings for the community, support groups and numerous educational opportunities. For more information, visit www.valleybaptist.net (and www.facebook.com/valleybaptistmedicalcenter).