When it comes to treating stroke, every second counts. For every minute blood flow to the brain is blocked, about 2 million brain cells die. At Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center, our world-class stroke team has relentlessly pursued excellence in quickly reversing the effects of stroke, earning national recognition from the American Stroke Association for its outstanding care.
The first line of defense against stroke is a clot-busting blood thinner called tPA. Shady Grove is among the fastest hospitals in administering tPA in both Maryland and the nation. Depending on the severity of the stroke and size of the clot, another type of intervention can be even better.
Next year, Shady Grove Medical Center will add an innovative procedure called “thrombectomy” to our stroke program. In this minimally invasive procedure, a highly trained physician inserts a catheter into the patient’s femoral artery and guides it to the brain. The physician then uses a special tool to trap and remove the clot, preventing brain damage.
To perform thrombectomies, Shady Grove needs a state-of-the-art X-ray system called a biplane. Using mounted rotating cameras, the biplane imaging system produces three-dimensional views of blood vessels leading to the brain and inside the brain. The biplane captures information at a resolution four times greater than conventional X-ray systems, giving physicians a precise roadmap to reach the target area and provide treatment. The biplane can also aid physicians in a procedure that uses coils to prevent an aneurysm from rupturing.
Purchasing a biplane and construction of a specially designed suite to house the equipment will cost $4.5 million.
Generous community members like you can help to ensure that our caregivers have the latest equipment like the biplane to do what they do best: heal and save lives. You have a unique opportunity to do just that by helping to bring this life-saving technology to Shady Grove.
To learn more, contact Christina Berube at CBerube@AdventistHealthCare.com or 240-826-6570.
Each holiday season and throughout the year we ask your help in granting the Pediatric Wishes of our smallest patients to make their pediatrics stay at the hospital just a little more enjoyable.
Give a Gift Online
The fastest and easiest way to give is to buy a gift from our Amazon.com Wish List (gifts are shipped directly to the hospital) - or you may make a donation online via credit card.
Drop Off Gifts
Donate gifts from our Pediatric Wish List at the hospital. Stop by our volunteer desk in the main lobby to make a donation.
Groups & Organizations
Have a group, company or organization Pediatric Wishes donation to make? Contact the Foundation at 240-826-6570.
