Stroke and Neurovascular Center

The University of North Carolina Hospitals Stroke Center (UNC Stroke Center) is a subspecialty program of the UNC Department of Neurology. The Department is chaired by Dr. William Powers, a renowned Stroke Neurologist and NIH-funded Stroke Researcher. The Stroke Center is committed to providing high-quality comprehensive stroke care to the people of North Carolina and the Mid-Atlantic region.

Stroke is the leading cause of disability and third leading cause of death in the United States. Over the past decade, major advances have been made in stroke treatment, and the multidisciplinary UNC Stroke Team incorporates state-of-the-art approaches in caring for patients with stroke or other cerebrovascular disorders.

By demonstrating a strong track record of quality and excellence in stroke care, the UNC Stroke Center has maintained Disease-Specific Care Certification in Stroke and the Gold Seal of Approval™ from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) since 2002.

Acute stroke treatments are provided to medically eligible patients by the on-call Acute Stroke Team. Patient care is provided in the inpatient setting of the Stroke Treatment and Prevention Unit and in the outpatient setting of the Neurovascular Clinic. The nucleus of the UNC Stroke Center is comprised of  highly-trained Stroke Neurologists - Drs. Souvik Sen, David Huang, and Natalie Aucutt-Walter – and a Stroke Nurse Practitioner, Susan Wilson, FNP.  Dr. Matthew Ostrander is the current ACGME vascular neurology fellow.  The interventional stroke treatment program is spearheaded by Drs. Sten Solander, Anand Germanwala, and Hortensia Alvarez.  Stroke treatment and prevention clinical trials/studies are coordinated by Roxanne Poole, BS.

The multidisciplinary care approach utilizes the expertise of Neurologists as well as other physicians and staff with specialty training in the treatment of stroke and TIA, including emergency medicine physicians, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, cardiologists, vascular surgeons, physiatrists (rehabilitation medicine), and stroke ancillary care specialists (physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, respiratory therapists, and social workers).

We hope you find this website helpful in your health and medical care decisions. Please contact us with any questions or to request an appointment.