Neurocritical Care
Every second counts to help save your brain cells due to a complex nerve, spine or brain injury. Emergency departments and physicians can refer you or your loved one to neurocritical care within Avera Brain & Spine Institute at Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center.
If you or a loved one has an emergency, call 911.
World-Class Neuro-interventional Care
With premier neuro-interventional therapies, Avera’s neuro-critical care unit is comprised of a fellowship-trained neuro-endovascular specialists and neuro-intensivists. These board-certified providers help give you lifesaving care close to home without the need to travel outside of the Avera health system. Our neuro-endovascular specialist uses minimally invasive methods to treat disorders of blood vessels involving the head, neck and spine, whether it be on an emergent or elective basis.
Stroke & Aneurysm Intervention Program
Our expert brain and spine team perform hundreds of major neurological surgeries each year. With our neuro-endovascular stroke program, we’re proud to offer a wider window for stroke treatment—for up to 24 hours from onset of symptoms—to help restore blood flow to blocked blood vessels.
With 24/7 immediate stroke care, Avera offers immediate assessment, intervention and management of acute strokes. Our team also provides the full spectrum of care for brain aneurysms. Learn more about stroke and aneurysm care.
Your Complete Brain & Spine Care Team
With an entire brain and spine team, our neuro-critical care unit includes fellowship-trained neuro-endovascular specialists and neuro-intensivists who work hand-in-hand with board-certified neurologists, neurosurgeons, rehabilitation professionals, neuro-radiologists, nurses and therapists for complete care for your brain and spine needs. Avera offers neurosurgery, for adults and pediatrics, along with neuro-intervention procedures.
Conditions treated by neuro-intervention procedures include:
- Acute ischemic stroke, due to large vessel blockage
- Some forms of hemorrhagic stroke
- Some types of head or neck tumors
- Cerebral aneurysm
- Cerebrovascular malformations
- Intracranial or subarachnoid hemorrhage
- Rupture or dissection of vessels of the brain due to trauma
What is Neuro-endovascular Surgery?
Neuro-endovascular surgery is a relatively new subspecialty of medicine that has only recently become more widely available within the United States and the rest of the world. The field requires many years of advanced specialty training which begins in either radiology, neurosurgery or neurology, and is followed by further rigorous sub-specialty fellowship training.
This field has allowed neuro-endovascular specialists to treat challenging neurovascular disorders with minimally invasive techniques through a remote incision and that is literally less than a quarter of an inch. Neuro-endovascular surgery answers a much needed calling to address some of the most critical medical emergencies in all of medicine, which previously were untreatable.
This field is also known as “endovascular surgical neuroradiology,” “interventional neuroradiology,” “endovascular neurosurgery,” “interventional neurology,” and more. Neuro-endovascular surgery requires advanced operational tools and imaging technology.
State-of-the-Art Imaging & Procedural Technology
Avera Brain & Spine Institute offers a state-of-the-art neuro-imaging equipment for neuro-endovascular procedures. The Canon Alphenix with high definition imaging capabilities lets our providers see fine details more efficiently during procedures. This imaging tool helps lower a patient’s radiation dose and may also lower complications, because of better visual support during procedures.
