St. Mary's Stroke Center
St. Mary’s Hospital is on the leading edge of stroke care. When a stroke strikes, our team uses state-of-the-art processes, medications, and equipment to restore blood flow, save lives, and reduce the risk of disability.
St. Mary's Stroke Center is one of the leading stroke centers in the Southeastern United States. With a world-class team of physicians, we offer preventative and post-stroke care and support groups for stroke survivors and their families.
24/7 Stroke Care at St. Mary's in Athens, GA
St. Mary's in Athens, GA, is the region's leading provider of comprehensive stroke care, offering 24/7 emergency services. Our advanced stroke care includes ischemic stroke interventions such as IV thrombolytics, commonly known as "clot busters," and cerebral thrombectomy, an endovascular procedure that removes clots from the brain.
For hemorrhagic stroke emergencies, we provide specialized treatments including aneurysm repair for subarachnoid hemorrhages and hemicraniectomy and clot removal for intracerebral hemorrhages. Trust St. Mary's in Athens, GA, for expert stroke care from emergency response to lifelong prevention.
St. Mary's Athens, GA: Leading Stroke Care in Georgia
At St. Mary's in Athens, GA, we are at the forefront of stroke care in Georgia. Our team of experts includes neurosurgeons Dr. Neil Woodall and Dr. Townsend, who specialize in both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke care. Additionally, Dr. Feroze Afzal, a renowned vascular neurologist, provides advanced endovascular treatments for our stroke patients.
Our stroke care team, led by Dr. Feroze Afzal and Dr. Neil Woodall, excels in administering stroke care and is dedicated to delivering top-tier neurosurgical patient care. Utilizing the latest innovations and evidence-based practices, they aim to restore optimal function for each patient. Their compassionate and individualized approach ensures that every patient receives the highest standard of care. Trust St. Mary's Athens, GA for your stroke care needs.
Expert Stroke Care at St. Mary's Healthcare System in Athens, GA
Dedicated Inpatient Stroke Care at St. Mary's Stroke Center
St. Mary's Stroke Center, located in Athens, GA, specializes in comprehensive inpatient stroke care. Our stroke care team is led by neurohospitalists Dr. Alan Morgan and Dr. Catherine Lockhart, who are dedicated exclusively to treating hospitalized stroke patients. Unlike many neurologists, Dr. Lockhart & Morgan's practice allows them to focus their full attention, expertise, and time on providing exceptional care for inpatients at St. Mary’s Healthcare System. This specialized focus ensures that each stroke patient receives the highest quality of care during their hospital stay.
Leading Stroke Care in Athens, GA at St. Mary's Stroke Center.
At our state-of-the-art stroke center, we utilize cutting-edge methods to prevent, treat, and assist our patients. Below we outline some of the care that we offer at our stroke center.
Neurointerventional Biplane
St. Mary’s is adding a significant advancement in the diagnosis and treatment of stroke, brain aneurysms, brain and neck tumors, and other neurological conditions with the acquisition of a state-of-the-art neuro interventional biplane angiography system. This biplane system produces highly detailed three-dimensional views of blood vessels leading to the brain and deep within the brain.
The biplane represents a giant leap in helping physicians diagnose neurological abnormalities and then treat them with endovascular procedures, which entail using special instruments threaded inside the brain and neck blood vessels.
IV Thrombolytics
St. Mary’s has been a leader in administering the clot-busting drug tenecteplase, a tissue plasminogen activator, since shortly after the drug was first approved for use in stroke by the FDA. When deemed medically appropriate, tenecteplase can be administered to dissolve the blood clots that cause ischemic stroke. The sooner treatment begins, the more brain tissue can be saved. That means fast, high-tech testing is essential. All three St. Mary’s hospitals provide this testing in minutes.
St. Mary’s Stroke Center has a higher rate of good outcomes than the national average for patients receiving IV thrombolytics
Teleneurology 24/7
Only a stroke specialist can authorize the use of tenecteplase. So, in addition to our neurohospitalists in Athens, St. Mary’s Health Care System also utilizes a teleneurology program in partnership with Augusta University. AU stroke specialists are available 24/7 to examine patients remotely, review diagnostic tests and images, and consult with the physician at the bedside. With teleneurology, we are able to quickly and safely administer tenecteplase to eligible patients within minutes of their arrival at any of our hospitals: St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens, St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia, or St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital in Greensboro.
Cerebral Thrombectomy
Drs. Woodall, Townsend and Afzal perform this potentially life-saving procedure using St. Mary’s state-of-the-art neurointerventional biplane angiography system. The system produces highly detailed, 3D views of blood vessels leading to and deep within the brain. It allows the specialists to find and remove large-vessel blood clots without major surgery. Instead, they make a small incision in the upper leg and then thread thin, flexible tubes called catheters through the inside of blood vessels to reach and remove the blockage in the brain.
In addition to IV thrombolytic, the biplane represents a giant leap forward in helping physicians diagnose aneurysms and other abnormalities inside the blood vessels of the brain and neck.
St. Mary’s Stroke Center has a higher rate of good outcomes than the national average for patients receiving cerebral thrombectomy.
How do I prevent a Stroke? Preventive Stroke Services in Athens-Clarke County, GA
Prevention is the best medicine. St. Mary's Medical Group offers compassionate, high-quality primary care providers who can help you reduce your risk of stroke and live your healthiest life. We are also here for you when you need specialized care:
- St. Mary's Neurological Specialists - (706) 310-1859
- Georgia Neurological Surgery & Comprehensive Spine - (706) 548-6881
A stroke is a medical emergency. When signs appear, call 911. Time is brain!
Support for Stroke Survivors & Their Caregivers in Athens, GA
St. Mary’s Stroke Support Group meets monthly for stroke survivors, their caregivers, and others who are interested in learning about stroke. Each meeting includes an informational presentation plus time for participants to share their own experiences in a confidential and supportive group environment.
Meetings are facilitated by a member of St. Mary’s stroke services team. This group is here to provide practical information, inspiration, camaraderie, and support. Handicapped parking is available on the lower level of St. Mary’s Parking Deck, with wheelchair-friendly access to the hospital and meeting room.
St. Mary’s Stroke/Neuro Continuum of Care
Interactive educational resources from the National Stroke Association
The American Stroke Association website
We are proud to be the first hospital in Georgia to be certified by The Joint Commission as a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center.
This means our team is available 24/7 to remove the large-vessel blood clots that cause some of the most severe strokes. It is the culmination of nearly two decades of commitment to enhancing stroke care, beginning with our 2004 Joint Commission certification as one of the first 20 Primary Stroke Centers in the United States.
