Valley Baptist-Brownsville Launches New Thrombectomy Program, Upgrades Neuroscience Capabilities

Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville in South Texas, recently unveiled new equipment during the launch of its new thrombectomy program, providing area residents with enhanced access to advanced stroke treatments when time is of the essence. When dealing with stroke, it is often said that “time is brain.”

The new program and its associated equipment and facility upgrades represent a capital investment of more than $12 million, demonstrating Valley Baptist’s commitment to improving the community’s access to neurological care through the Valley Baptist Health System Neuroscience Institute.

The hospital’s new bi-plane imaging system is the centerpiece of these upgrades. Bi-plane imaging equipment is vital to stroke care, as it provides incredibly detailed, three-dimensional images that enable interventional neurologists to more effectively and safely treat stroke patients. Leveraging the precision provided by bi-plane imaging, interventional neurologists can guide tiny wires through a stroke patient’s arteries to remove blood clots and restore normal blood flow to the brain, a process called thrombectomy.

Dr. Ameer Hassan, an interventional neurologist and head of the neuroscience program at Valley Baptist Health System, noted the hospital’s new and enhanced capabilities are critical to providing the advanced stroke treatments to the Brownsville community. “At Valley Baptist, we are the first comprehensive stroke center south of San Antonio,” said Dr. Hassan. “To further enhance stroke care in the region, we decided that a bi-plane system was critical to reducing treatment delays, patient transfers, and keeping patients close to their families and their homes.”

As the population throughout the Rio Grande Valley and Cameron County continues to expand and age, the neurological healthcare needs of local residents are also on the rise. To exceed the needs and expectations of the communities it serves, Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville has completed a wide array of improvements and technological advancements while also attracting highly trained physicians.

Upgrades to Valley Baptist’s-Brownsville’s thrombectomy lab will help neurologists provide rapid, high-quality care for stroke patients. The hospital has worked to modernize its operating rooms, providing surgeons with access to advanced technology that supports minimally invasive surgical techniques. This enhancement supports ongoing efforts to improve patient outcomes, reduce recovery times, and further strengthen the quality of surgical care provided to the community.

The upgrades are an example of the hospital’s commitment to meeting the needs and expectations of the communities it serves, said Marisa Aguilar, Chief Operating Officer at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville. “As we have for more than a century, Valley Baptist-Brownsville will continue to rise to the challenge of providing quality healthcare close to home,” said Aguilar. “Especially when it comes to the critical nature of stroke care and treatment of other neurological issues, keeping our patients close to their support systems can have a direct, positive impact on patient outcomes.”

Find more information about comprehensive neurological services provided at Valley Baptist-Brownsville and the health system’s neuroscience institute, here.