Treating stroke quickly and effectively is the difference between life and death or permanent disability. In recognition that it has met the highest standard for the treatment of stroke patients -- including speed of treatment and cutting-edge treatment advances -- NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital has received Stroke Center designation from the New York State Department of Health (DOH) at its two academic medical centers: Columbia University Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medical Center

Routine emergency neuroimaging may be unnecessary for most children after first complex febrile seizures, according to a study performed by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian. Children with a first complex febrile seizure who otherwise appear well and who have normal neurological examinations are at low risk of structural abnormalities that require emergency interventions. The practice guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend against the use of emergency neuroimaging for pediatric patients with simple febrile seizures, but no guidelines exist for complex febrile seizures. The new study, published in the February issue of the journal Pediatrics, provides data to potentially extend these practice guideline recommendations to children who experience complex febrile seizures.

Stroke patients often experience hand paralysis, a sometimes painful condition that prevents them from doing many everyday activities from opening a door to washing themselves. A new device called the NESS H200™ helps these patients "get a grip." Worn on the forearm, it delivers an electrical impulse to the muscles in the hand and forearm to stimulate movement. The device is currently available in New York City through occupational therapists at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

The Center of Excellence for Lymphoma and Myeloma at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center is the only medical center in the nation to currently offer a chemotherapy cocktail with the next-generation immuno-modulatory research drug Revlimid™ (lenalidomide), as part of a clinical trial for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Results of the single-center Phase II clinical trial are anticipated to show improved complete remission rate and response time, and decreased toxicity -- compared to the standard treatment.

Surgeons at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center are the first in the New York City metropolitan area to successfully implant into the brain arteries a new stent specifically designed to treat high-risk stroke patients who have not previously responded to medical therapy. The Wingspan™ Stent System is used for those individuals diagnosed with intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) -- excess plaque buildup in the brain arteries. The intracranial stenting procedure involves making a small incision in the patient's femoral artery. The device is threaded through the patient's vessels to the location of plaque in the cerebral vessel. A balloon is then expanded to crack the plaque and withdrawn, and the stent is inserted and deployed to open the vessel.

A team of researchers who have pioneered novel treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been awarded an $11 million, four-year grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to investigate the differences between virtual reality and traditional prolonged exposure therapy.

In recognition of Autism Awareness Month, Dr. Catherine Lord, director of the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and a national authority on autism spectrum disorders (ASD), offers families guidance and tips for coping with a child’s diagnosis.

Joel Stein, M.D., a leading national figure in stroke research and patient care, has been named chief of the Coordinated Program in Rehabilitation Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, Weill Cornell Medical College and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Stein is currently the chief medical officer for Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and an associate professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School.