UT Southwestern Medical Center is one of the nation’s top stroke treatment facilities, treating more aneurysm cases than any other facility.

Our stroke specialists pioneered the development of some of the most advanced and effective brain aneurysm procedures in use today. In 1989, UT Southwestern researchers refined a fast-acting drug called tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, which can rapidly dissolve blood clots in patients with ischemic stroke, greatly reducing the risk of death or severe disability.

In addition, state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and treatment facilities enable our neurologists, neuroradiologists and neurosurgeons to treat all forms of stroke and blood vessel disease affecting the brain and spinal cord.

The expertise of UT Southwestern’s neurosurgeons attracts patients from around the world. UT Southwestern pioneered the use of advanced aneurysm treatments that have become standards in treating patients who have experienced a stroke.

Duke Samson, M.D., and our world-renowned team of neurosurgeons use advanced surgical and imaging techniques against once-untreatable cerebral diseases. Detecting these conditions earlier means we can stop – and sometimes reverse – their debilitating effects.

That’s why UT Southwestern treat more brain aneurysms than any other medical center in the Southwest and why U.S. News & World Report ranks us as one of the top 20 medical centers in the nation in neurosurgery and neurology.

Treating a stroke begins with neurological testing to determine a precise diagnosis. UT Southwestern doctors will clearly explain each patient’s condition and treatment options and then work with them as a partner in selecting the right course of action to address an individual’s needs and diagnosis.

Our specialists hold bimonthly stroke conferences, at which physicians, medical faculty and other experts present the latest research findings on stroke diagnosis, evaluation and treatment. A weekly cerebrovascular conference is also held, in conjunction with the Department of Neurological Surgery, to discuss new diagnostic techniques and treatment options for patients with complicated neurovascular disease.

UT Southwestern’s Cerebrovascular Program treats more patients and performs more procedures than any other program in the region. Neurologists and neurosurgeons throughout Texas and the five-state area refer their most complex cases to UT Southwestern for the treatment of serious stroke, threatened stroke and arterio-venous malformations (AVMs).

Medical researchers receive ongoing funding for numerous scientific studies in the fields of stroke, brain aneurysms and related disorders. UT Southwestern’s groundbreaking research often leads to advancements in diagnostic techniques and treatments that assist with stroke assessment and recovery.