Stroke Neurology

As one of the partners of the INI Carotid Clinic, our Stroke Center is the first primary stroke center in Illinois certified by the Joint Commission.  The physicians, nurse practitioner, nursing staff and research personnel have rich experience in managing strokes.  As the hub of the largest rural stroke network, the center treats over 700 stroke patients each year.  It is one of the nation's premier stroke centers in using thrombolytics, promoting stroke care practice improvement processes, data collection and conducting stroke research.  Working with the vascular neurosurgeons and interventional neuroradiologists, the center has pioneered many innovative therapeutic options such as thrombolysis with concomitant angioplas-ty/stents of acutely occluded carotid arteries, utilization of intra-arterial GPIIbIIIa agent.  With the established INI Carotid Clinic, the staff of INI Stroke Center and OSF Stroke Network believe that a new standard of care for patients with carotid disease will be established.

Interventional Radiology

Central Illinois Radiological Associates (CIRA) is a 50-member group providing radiological services throughout the central Illinois region.  Fellowship-trained vascular and neuro-vascular radiologists provide the interventional services with clinical support provided by a team of advanced practice nurses.  The group provides consultation services as well as full admitting services in the area hospitals.  The section has developed into the regions leader for vascular and interventional procedures through both clinical and research activities. A full-time research coordinator monitors participation in ongoing research trials.  The section has been offering carotid intervention through enrollment of clinical research protocols with over 200 carotid angioplasty and stenting procedures performed.  In fact, CIRA physicians placed the first FDA-approved carotid stent in the country at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.  In addition to carotid interventions, neurointerventional services include stroke salvage with intracranial thrombolysis, and/or mechanical retrieval, aneurysm coiling and AVM embolization.

Vascular/Endovascular Neurosurgery

Associated University Neurosurgeons is Central Illinois' leading neurosurgery practice.  They are the only regional neurosurgical practice affiliated with the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria.  All of the physicians are faculty members of the medical school and are board certified or board eligible.  These specialists can treat a range of vascular disorders of the head and neck.  Treatment may consist of microsurgical clipping for aneurysms, carotid endarterectomy or endovascular management with insertion of GDC coils or stenting procedures.