Health Essentials - Winter 2012 - Hillcrest - (Page 7)

“There’s no doubt they saved my life.” —Al Salzano, stroke survivor treated at Hillcrest Hospital all the way up to his brain, with the help of X-ray guidance and monitors. A dye injected into the arteries enabled the surgeon to view the blood vessels. After locating the clot, Dr. Toth used a suction device to grab the clot and pull it out of the blood vessel. “The surgery was successful,” says Dr. Toth. “We found the clot, removed it and restored blood ﬂow to the brain without complications. Assuming that he progresses well through rehabilitation, Mr. Salzano’s long-term prognosis from the stroke standpoint is excellent. In fact, he made remarkable improvements on a daily basis and practically walked out of the hospital.” Different Strokes There is much truth in the old saying that there are “different strokes for different folks” when it comes to individual preferences. But did you know that medical strokes also vary widely among “different folks”? While some people suffer ministrokes, others suffer major ones. There are hemorrhagic strokes and ischemic strokes (which account for 87 percent of stroke cases), each with a variety of underlying causes. No matter what type of stroke a person has, time is of the essence. “When a stroke occurs, tens of thousands of brain cells die every second,” explains Gabor Gabor Toth, MD Toth, MD, a Hillcrest Hospital neurointerventionalist. “The longer it takes to restore blood ﬂow to the brain, the more cells the patient loses irreversibly.” An Extended Stay in Cleveland Upon discharge from Hillcrest, Salzano was transferred to Cleveland Clinic Rehabilitation Hospital at Euclid Hospital, one of Northeast Ohio’s leading rehabilitation centers. Since Euclid and Hillcrest are both Cleveland Clinic hospitals, patient transfers to the rehabilitation center are seamless. “Euclid Hospital is right on the lake, and you couldn’t ask for a prettier place,” says Cathy Salzano. “The therapists are extremely capable and caring. Al’s hard work during his four weeks in therapy paid off. A couple weeks after the stroke, the therapists called me in to watch him climb stairs like there was no problem. Everyone was clapping.” Now that the couple is back home in Las Vegas, Salzano’s rehab will continue. “Al has some minor memory loss,” says Cathy. “Fortunately, Dr. Toth has been there for us every step of the way. Andrea, his wonderful nurse, arranged for Al to go to Cleveland Clinic’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health here in Las Vegas.” Salzano’s case underscores the importance of having a certiﬁed stroke center within the community. “Studies show that patients cared for at stroke centers have better outcomes,” says Dr. Toth. “Not all patients are as lucky as Mr. Salzano, but everyone deserves the highest level of care.” As Salzano continues to make progress, he and his wife cannot forget the lifesaving work done at Hillcrest. “Everyone there gave 150 percent, including the ER doctors and nurses,” says Cathy. “They were all amazing.” HILLCRESTHOSPITAL.ORG (click) WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information about stroke, go to hillcresthospital.org/stroke. HEALTH ESSENTIALS 7 http://www.hillcresthospital.org/stroke http://www.HILLCRESTHOSPITAL.ORG

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Health Essentials - Winter 2012 - Hillcrest

Health Essentials - Winter 2012 - Hillcrest
Contents
A message from the president
Neurological services expand at Hillcrest
Doing it her way
Visitor is grateful for top stroke care

Health Essentials - Winter 2012 - Hillcrest