Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital Is Now a Certified Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center

Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital has been certified as a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center by the Joint Commission. Thrombectomy is an interventional procedure to treat strokes that’s fast, safe and may get patients back to their lives sooner. By providing thrombectomies to St. Charles County and the greater St. Louis community, Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital has the ability to potentially save more lives at risk of serious damage from strokes.

“This certification recognizes Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital as a center of excellence providing one of the most advanced and important stroke treatments ever discovered,” says Brendan Eby, MD, Vascular and Endovascular Surgical Neurologist. “The partnership of BJC HealthCare and Washington University Physicians to bring this new but critically important treatment to St. Charles County helps us with our shared mission of advancing cutting-edge medical science and bringing this out to our entire community in St. Louis.”

How are strokes typically treated?

The most common type of stroke is an ischemic stroke, where a blood clot blocks an artery leading to the brain, and there are two primary treatments: thrombolytic medication, emergency clot-busting medication that can be used within four and a half hours of a stroke, and thrombectomy.

What is a thrombectomy?

The goal of a thrombectomy is to restore blood flow to the brain as quickly as possible to stop the damage being done by the stroke. This is done by inserting a catheter in an artery and advancing it to the blood clot. Tools are then used to pull the blood clot out of the blood vessel.

Why is a thrombectomy important?

Strokes can be life-threatening if proper intervention isn’t received quickly enough, which is why it’s so important that patients have access to care such as a thrombectomy in the event of a stroke.

“Patients are now able to get this advanced stroke treatment faster and closer to home, which means higher chances of doing well and possibly saving more lives,” says Dr. Eby. “With this certification, the Joint Commission recognizes we are able to provide advanced stroke care on par with treatments expected at giant or academic hospitals.”

What does this mean for the community?

“This is a huge step forward being recognized that we provide the most advanced, life-saving treatment to our St. Charles County and greater St. Louis community,” says Dr. Eby. “The Joint Commission has recognized the immense efforts of Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital to provide this groundbreaking treatment. Truthfully, this is more a recognition of the amazing work the entire medical staff has been putting toward the success of the thrombectomy stroke program and the care they give to each patient.”

What are the signs of a stroke?

The signs of stroke can be remembered using the BE-FAST acronym. The following symptoms could indicate you are having a stroke:

• Balance Problems
• Eyes Blurred or Difficulty Seeing
• Face Drooping
• Arm Weakness
• Speech Slurring
• Time to Call 911

If you think someone may be having a stroke, call 911 immediately. First responders can begin providing vital care during transport to the hospital.

To learn more about stroke care, visit
https://www.bjsph.org/Medical-Services/Neurology-and-Neurosurgery/Stroke