Comprehensive stroke center in Austin and Central Texas

At St. David’s HealthCare, our facilities provide comprehensive stroke care in Austin and Central Texas, allowing patients and families to stay close to home for specialized care. St. David's Medical Center is certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center through DNV-GL Healthcare. We received this recognition by demonstrating the ability to quickly and effectively treat all strokes. We are also part of the Capital Area Trauma Regional Advisory Council for stroke preparedness and are recognized by the Texas Department of State Health Services for stroke care.

Our Primary Stroke facilities are equipped with advanced diagnostic imaging services and highly trained physicians and nurses who are prepared to give patients the best chance at a full recovery.

Our Primary Stroke facilities include:

  • St. David’s South Austin Medical Center
  • St. David’s North Austin Medical Center
  • St. David’s Georgetown Hospital

Comprehensive Stroke Center

St. David’s Medical Center is a Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center. A Comprehensive Stroke Center (CSC) is the highest level of stroke certification attainable. As a designated CSC, St. David’s Medical Center has the latest technology, systems and stroke specialists to receive and treat the most complex stroke patients. St. David’s Medical Center is committed to raising the bar for stroke care at every touchpoint in the stroke care continuum leading to the best outcomes for our patients. This is exampled in our achievement of the Gold Plus Award, the highest stroke care recognition provided by AHA/ASA.

Primary Stroke Center - Thrombectomy Capable

St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center is recognized as a Primary Stroke Center with thrombectomy capabilities, offered in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, for our ability to provide the expertise to perform mechanical thrombectomy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure to remove a blood clot from an artery. This includes having neurointensive care and 24/7 on-site critical care coverage.

For more information about our stroke care services, call the St. David's Help Center at (888) 868-2104.

Types of stroke we treat

Strokes are usually either ischemic or hemorrhagic. An ischemic stroke happens when an artery in the brain is blocked. This type of stroke is the most common, accounting for 87 percent of all strokes. A hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a weakened vessel that ruptures and bleeds into the brain. From there, the blood accumulates and compresses the surrounding brain tissue.

Our specialists in neurological care are able to identify which type of stroke you have and administer the necessary treatments to save as much brain tissue as possible.

Stroke signs and symptoms

In some cases, signs of a stroke can happen gradually, but you are still likely to have one or more sudden symptoms, such as:

  • Onset of numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg—especially on one side of the body
  • Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or difficulty understanding speech
  • Difficulty seeing in one or both eyes
  • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or lack of coordination

The acronym F.A.S.T. was developed to help people easily recognize the signs of a stroke:

  • F: Face drooping
  • A: Arm weakness
  • S: Speech difficulty
  • T: Time to call 911

Use this acronym to help identify if someone you love is experiencing stroke symptoms.

Stroke treatment

If a patient is experiencing an ischemic stroke, we are able to provide endovascular thrombolysis or mechanical endovascular thrombectomy. We can also administer thrombolytic or clot-busting medication to certain patients up to four and one half hours from the time the patient's symptoms began.

For hemorrhagic stroke, we are able to provide a variety of emergency management treatments up to 24 hours from the time the patient's symptoms began. Treatments include:

  • Surgical decompression
  • Surgical clipping of aneurysms
  • Endovascular embolization (coiling)
  • Surgical arteriovenous malformation (AVM) removal

Stroke rehabilitation

We provide specialized, advanced stroke rehabilitation programs, including a recovery program dedicated to young stroke survivors. These programs incorporate physical, occupational and speech therapy services as well as for driving, home safety and nutrition counseling.