Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center is proud to announce that it will begin use of the new biplane technology, which will provide state-of-the-art treatment for stroke right here in the community.

The Medical Center has invested in the most advanced biplane angiography imaging system, which is recognized for its effectiveness in diagnosing and treating stroke. The system presents an extremely precise 3-D image of the blood vessels in the brain and permits the neuroendovascular surgeon to treat the stroke patient in several ways, including:

• Precisely delivering clot-busting drugs (tPA) directly to the site of the blockage
• Thread a special wire to the site of the stroke to minimize clotting and rupture
• Removing the clot in a special, minimally invasive procedure

All three treatments, made possible with this advanced biplane angiography system, will minimize the possible long-term effects of stroke and extend the time and options for the best outcome for stroke treatment.

Celso Agner, MD, is one of only 300 neuroendovascular interventional surgeons in the United States, and will be providing the minimally invasive procedures and therapies that access treatment from within the blood vessel. Dr. Agner is a board certified Neurologist, and is also board certified in Neurological Critical Care, Stroke, and Neuroendovascular Surgery. He is an assistant professor, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Illinois at Chicago.

"This will be a great asset to treating victims of stroke," says Dr. Agner. "Anytime we are able to enhance services by providing minimally invasive procedures is a great stride in medical care. The fact that we are able to also provide an even higher quality of care to persons suffering from stroke in order to save lives or provide a better outcome through state-of-the-art technology is a great asset to the community."

"This is another step forward in medical care, and another opportunity we were able to provide the community to receive treatment for the medical needs closer to home," says Jeffrey Brickman, FACHE, System Senior Vice President and Regional CEO of the Provena Southwest Suburban Region. "We will continue our commitment to providing the communities we serve with access to needed medical services, and look forward to the future advancements we will be able to bring here."