The Wisconsin Stroke Net (WSN) is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) StrokeNet and is based at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The goal of the WSN is to improve stroke prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of stroke patients. The WSN is one of only 25 Regional Coordinating Centers in the United States and is comprised of over 30 satellites throughout the region serving diverse populations. Members of the WSN include stroke specialists throughout the care spectrum including adult and pediatric vascular neurosurgeons, neurologists, endovascular surgeons, neuroradiologists, anesthesiologists, physiatrists, emergency physicians, and research specialists. We aim to improve the lives of our patients through collaborative research across the stroke spectrum.
Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death (1 of 18 deaths) and the leading cause of adult disability in the United States. Stroke occurs in both sexes and across the racial and socioeconomic lines. The etiology of stroke is diverse with ischemic strokes occurring when insufficient blood flow reaches the brain or hemorrhagic when a blood vessel ruptures. While improvements in medical management of cardiovascular risk factors have reduced the rate of stroke, room for great improvement exists. Technologic advancements are catching up with imagination resulting in our ability to intervene acutely with medications or surgical procedures. Our understanding of the recovery process after stroke is also evolving yielding improvements in functional recovery. Despite these promising steps, many questions remain unanswered. Through this collaborative effort, we hope to improve the lives of the patients in Wisconsin, the surrounding region, and beyond.
To join our collaboration, please contact: Stephanie Wilbrand, Ph.D. (608) 265-9248 or uwrcc@neurosurgery.wisc.edu
Photo: NINDS Stroke Trials Network. (n.d.). National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Retrieved April 22, 2014, from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/research/clinical_research/NINDS_stroke_trials_network.htm
