Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center at UPMC Altoona

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States.

Our team at UPMC Altoona provides advanced care for acute stroke through the emergency department and to inpatients.

Contact the Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center

To make an appointment for outpatient stroke care, call 814-889-3930.

We are located in Building E3 on UPMC Altoona's campus.

What is Mechanical Thrombectomy?

Mechanical thrombectomy is a minimally invasive procedure to remove clots from blood vessels. Doctors use small, thin tubes called catheters and a tiny mesh tube called a stent retriever to remove the clots.

HealthBeat Blog about Mechanical Thrombectomy.

Know the Signs of Stroke

The Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center at UPMC Altoona wants to increase awareness of stroke symptoms. Knowing the signs and getting early treatment is key to limiting damage from a stroke. 

Stroke symptoms

Symptoms of stroke often come on quickly.

Call 911 right away if you or someone you're with show any of the following signs:

• Weakness on one side of the body.
• Numbness on one side of the face.
• Numbness of the right or left arm and leg.
• Problems speaking, including slurred speech and not making sense.
• Trouble understanding others.
• Vision problems — such as seeing double — and vision loss, especially in one eye.
• Problems with balance or coordination.
• Severe headache.

The B.E.F.A.S.T test

If you notice any of the symptoms above, a quick way to check for a stroke is to follow the F.A.S.T test:

• Balance
• Eyes
• Face drooping: Ask the person to smile.
• Arm weakness: Ask the person to raise both of their arms.
• Speech: Ask the person to speak.
• Time: If any of the above seems out of the norm, call 911 right sway.

Time is Brain. Once a stroke happens, immediate medical care is vital to prevent further damage to the brain. Quick treatment can reduce complications and future disabilities.

Stroke Center Honors and Awards

The award-winning Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center at UPMC Altoona has earned the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval.

Other honors and awards from the American Heart Association (AHA) include:

• Get With The Guidelines: Target: Stroke^℠ Honor Roll. For meeting quality measures that reduce the time between hospital arrival and treatment.
• Get With The Guidelines^® (GWTG) - Target Stroke Honor Roll Elite. For making sure our patients get the most appropriate treatment based on research-based guidelines and scientific evidence.
• Get With The Guidelines Performance Awards: Advanced Therapy.
• Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
• GWTG - Stroke Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award (received seven times). For two or more successive calendar years of 85 percent or higher adherence to all achievement measures.

Learn More About Strokes and Stroke Prevention

• UPMC: Quitting Smoking
• How to Spot A Stroke: FAST (PDF)

UPMC Stroke Institute

Learn more about stroke care at UPMC.