The Stroke Center at University Hospital

As the first certified stroke center in Kentucky, The Stroke Center provides stroke patients with an aggressive and unique approach to stroke assessment by providing a “fast track” system. The system is designed to diagnose a stroke and begin treatment quickly – saving precious time and, therefore, brain.

We are above the national average in the administration of IV tPA (intravenous tissue plasminogen activator) for acute ischemic stroke. IV tPA must be given within the first three hours of stroke onset and only after ruling out hemorrhagic stroke. In 2007, University Hospital’s Stroke Team treated 13.5% of stroke patients with IV t-PA. The number includes patients who had the drug administered at University Hospital, as well as those patients that had it administered at an outlying hospital after talking with one of our stroke neurologists and then the patient was transferred to UofL for management. The national average for tPA administration is 3-5%.

Kerri Remmel, MD, Ph.D, neurologist, Stroke Center Director is one of the leaders of this multidisciplinary team. Under Dr. Remmel's direction, the University Hospital Stroke Center became the first health care facility in Kentucky to receive national accreditation as a primary stroke center.

Interventional Neurologist and Director of Interventional Neurology at University Hospital, Alex Abou-Chebl, MD is the other leader of the Stroke Team. Dr. Abou-Chebl came to University Hospital from the Cleveland Clinic and is one of only a handful of interventional neurologists in the country. His clinical experience combined with innovational treatment techniques expand the treatment window for stroke patients.

Vincent Vinh Truong, MD is a Clinical Instructor at the Stroke Center and joined UofL Health Care in 2009. In his role, Dr. Truong is teaching the next generation of stroke specialists.