Cerebrovascular disease care

Thanks to our decades-long cerebrovascular disease experience, our specialists deeply understand the complicated nature of cerebrovascular conditions and the unique challenges they present. Our goal is to provide the most effective treatment and the best outlook for your future.

At Penn Medicine, you can expect: 

• Collaborative care: Our cerebrovascular disease team works closely with each other and with specialists throughout the Penn Medicine system to ensure you get the care you need. At weekly cerebrovascular team meetings, we discuss new cases, review each patient’s diagnosis, and determine the most appropriate plan for treatment. As needed, the team collaborates with doctors in other departments, such as rheumatology and oncology, to manage all aspects of your treatment.
• Extensive expertise: Many cerebrovascular diseases, sometimes referred to as neurovascular diseases or vascular diseases in the brain, need lifelong management. Our specialists have expertise in treating all types of cerebrovascular conditions, including rare and complex disorders that other providers rarely see. This means they know your condition well and can anticipate your needs.
• Shared decision-making: We consider you and your family equal partners in care. Our medical team encourages family members and caregivers to be at the bedside and participate in care coordination and planning. We value our relationship with you, and we’ll work diligently to protect your health with a level of expertise you won’t find elsewhere in the region.

Our Penn Stroke Center and Cavernous Malformations Center  bring together dedicated personnel and resources to provide the highest level of cavernous malformation and stroke care. These centers focus on enhancing patient outcomes through research and advanced treatments.

Recognized excellence in stroke treatment

Six Penn Medicine hospitals have been recognized by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) for excellence in stroke care, including The Penn Stroke Center at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), a Joint Commission-certified Comprehensive Stroke Center. As a Comprehensive Stroke Center, patients who have suffered a stroke have access to the most advanced resources available for rapid diagnosis and treatment.

No matter where you are in the southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey regions, our dedicated team of vascular neurologists, neurosurgeons, vascular surgeons, neuroradiologists, and emergency medicine providers treat every kind of stroke and stroke complication to ensure our patients receive the best care and support during recovery.

Cavernous Malformations Center

Penn Medicine is one of the few centers in the country dedicated to patients with cavernous malformations. A cavernous malformation is an abnormal collection or tangle of thin-walled blood vessels within normal brain tissue or within the spinal cord. No two patients have the exact same journey, so your care at our Cavernous Malformation Center will be centered on you.

In our center, you can expect:

• The latest diagnostic technology and genetic testing, including cavernoma-specific magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences that spot small or multiple cavernomas and testing to evaluate for familial type of cavernous malformation.
• Skilled and experienced surgeons who treat a high volume of vascular malformations.
• Your own team of cavernous malformation experts who streamline appointments, allowing you to see the specialist you need as soon as your very first visit.