Stroke Treatment
When stroke symptoms start, every minute counts. Doctors Medical Center in Modesto is one of only twenty-seven Comprehensive Stroke Centers in the region. Doctors Hospital of Manteca also treats stroke patients, coordinating with Doctors Medical Center as needed for access to more invasive stroke treatments.
Stroke treatment in Central Valley
Our physicians, nurses and support professionals work together as a team to provide award-winning care if you or a loved one suffers a stroke. And after a stroke, we’re here for you with stroke care services to help in recovery. We are committed to improving the lives of patients who have suffered a stroke.
The Comprehensive Stroke Center in Modesto focuses on stroke diagnosis, treatment, research and support. With a dedicated team of neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, nurses, physical therapists and more, we have cared for thousands of patients in the Central Valley
Immediate treatment is critical for patients who are suffering a stroke. At Doctors Medical Center of Modesto, the collaboration of emergency, critical care, neurology, neurosurgery and neurointerventional services are important. Each provides a separate service. The neuro interventional radiologist may perform minimally invasive procedures that involve a catheter being inserted into a blood vessel in the brain to remove blood clots or stop any bleeding.
With the goal of providing our patients with the highest level of care, this procedure decreases risks and may shorten hospital stays, reducing recovery time.
What Is a Stroke?
A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted or blocked
- Clot (Ischemic)
- Bleed (hemorrhagic)
When this happens, brain cells in the immediate area start to die because they do not get the oxygen and nutrients they need to function properly. A stroke can lead to disabilities such as paralysis, cognitive deficits, speech and emotional problems, pain and numbness.
Major risk factors for stroke:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Physical inactivity
- Smoking/alcohol use
- Illicit drug use
- Family history of stroke
- Being 55 or older
Care That Achieves Results
Our teams at both Doctors Medical Center and Doctors Hospital of Manteca are dedicated to creating a customized treatment plan that guides your recovery, including diagnostic testing and advanced procedures to personalized rehab plans. A stroke diagnosis does not mean you have to face difficult surgeries or lengthy hospital stays. Our goal is to help you get back to daily activities as soon as possible.
Doctors Hospital of Manteca is a designated Primary Stroke Center, and in conjunction with neurologists from UCSF, our highly skilled team of doctors specializes in treating strokes to help you receive the best care available. >
Awards for Doctors Medical Center
- Joint Commission Gold Seal symbol of quality as a Comprehensive Stroke Center: The highest level of stroke program certification for hospitals, and one of only 27 in California and in the Central Valley
- American Heart Association/ American Stroke Associations Heart Check issued in collaboration with the Joint Commission as a Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification
- Get With The Guidelines Target: Stroke GOLD PLUS with Target: Stroke Honor Role Elite Plus and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll Award from the American Heart Association/ American Stroke AssociationU.S. News & World Report High Performing Hospital in Stroke
Strokes require urgent care to restore blood flow to the brain and begin the recovery process.
As a Comprehensive Stroke Center, Doctors Medical Center tracks and reviews various quality indicators of stroke care.
The metric below indicates how much blood flow was restored in an area of the brain that was suffering a blood clot type of stroke. Our compliance is in line with the national average of other facilities that also offer this service.
Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction (TICI) Scale (restored blood flow in the brain)
Doctors Medical Center compliance with TICI 2b/3 = 91%
*National Average from the Get With The Guidelines (American Stroke Association) stroke registry = 87%
This includes all acute ischemic stroke patients that had a neurointerventional procedure (thrombectomy)to mechanically remove the blood clot from the brain (2023).
The TICI scale:
- Standardized grading scale of angiographic outcomes, indicating the degree of perfusion obtained following recanalization of an arterial occlusion in the brain.
- Indicates the level of reperfusion of blood flow to the brain that was previously blocked by a blood clot.
- Scores range from 0 (no perfusion) to 3 (full perfusion with filling of all distal branches).
- Grades of TICI 2b/3 indicate reperfusion to the brain tissue.
- Restoration of blood flow in an artery in the brain increases reperfusion into distal segments of the artery and restores blood flow to brain tissue.
- Better outcomes are associated with increased blood flow to the brain.
References: Higashida et al., 2003
American Stroke Association 2024
Joint Commission 2024