New technology and a Harvard specialist arrive at HCA Florida Northwest in Margate, improving stroke care

Margate, Florida – Some stroke operations may take Ram Chavali, M.D., six hours to complete when he established an interventional neuroradiology program at the teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School in the late 1990s. He can now complete some of those procedures at HCA Florida Northwest Hospital in Margate up to ten times quicker.

As the hospital opens a new biplane neuroangiography suite, Chavali, a board-certified neurointerventionalist, recently traveled to South Florida to assist in giving patients the best stroke care possible.

Physicians may view 3-D views of their patients’ vascular anatomy, including veins and arteries, thanks to the biplane unit.

According to Chavali, “modern biplane equipment has what are called rotational angiography features, which allow the unit to spin around.” “Then, rather than only one- or two-[plane] views, you can obtain a three-dimensional image.”
The sooner physicians can diagnose and treat stroke patients with significant blockages, the better.

Doctors may now diagnose blockages and other anomalies by better understanding the intricate anatomy of the blood arteries that flow to the brain and those deep within it thanks to new technologies.

According to Chavali, this will enable them to treat patients “accurately, effectively, and efficiently.”

With Chavali and the new technology, major stroke patients can now receive the most sophisticated care at HCA Florida Northwest instead of having to go to other hospitals, which takes time.

In stroke care, there’s a proverb that goes, “Time is brain.” According to Chavali, brain cells begin to die three minutes after they are deprived of oxygen.

“Time is really crucial in this regard,” he stated.

He remarked, “Hunting was what we used to have to do.” “Before you could begin treatment, we would need to try different perspectives to determine the best view.”

According to Chavali, those days were like living in a world without computers or cell phones.
Chavali participates in the stroke team approach at the hospital. The team, which consists of a neurologist, a radiologist, a technician, a neurointerventionalist, and an emergency department physician and nurse, jumps into action when patients arrive with a suspected stroke.
To aid the staff in rapidly reading scans, they have specialized equipment, stroke champions in every department, and a unique software.

According to Jennifer Barb, a hospital representative, having an expert with Chavali’s experience is crucial, even though the new technology is necessary.

“It is truly amazing that we have someone like him in our community who is an expert in this [field],” she remarked.