History of the National Brain Aneurysm Center
Nearly a decade of advanced neurovascular care
The National Brain Aneurysm Center has provided the most advanced diagnostic services and treatment for complex neurovascular conditions since 2002.
The Center is located at St. Joseph’s Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. Before our name change to the National Brain Aneurysm Center in 2008, we were known as the HealthEast Neurovascular Institute.
The Center is a collaboration between the HealthEast Care System and a physician team of neurovascular experts: vascular neurosurgeon, Eric Nussbaum, MD, neurologist, Charles Ormiston, MD, and interventional neuroradiologist, Mike Madison, MD. Neurointensive care specialist, Tariq Janjua, MD, joined the team shortly after the launch of the program to provide expert support in the region’s first neuro-ICU.
The foundation of our partnership is a shared belief in a team approach to both diagnosis and treatment. We make sure that every patient is evaluated by a team of sub-specialists that includes a vascular neurosurgeon, interventional neuroradiologists and neurologists. This comprehensive assessment means that every patient gets the best treatment option for his or her condition.
From its inception, the National Brain Aneurysm Center has been committed to staying at the forefront of neurovascular care, with state-of-the-art diagnostic services and the most sophisticated treatments available. Our advanced technology includes bi-plane angiography, rotational angiography and CyberKnife stereotactic radiosurgery. In fact, the Center was the first facility in the Upper Midwest to offer CyberKnife, a revolutionary technology that allows for non-invasive treatment of tumors and lesions in the head, neck and spine, including some previously considered inoperable.
In 2006, we established a unique neurointensive care unit (neuro-ICU) to provide advanced monitoring and treatment for patients after brain surgery. This innovation in critical care improves outcomes for neuro patients by offering around-the-clock care focused on treating the brain.
In 2009, the National Brain Aneurysm Center began partnering with Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater to support patients in their community needing neurovascular critical care and services. Patients who are initially seen at Lakeview Hospital and are diagnosed with conditions such as stroke, brain aneurysm, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) or brain tumors, and who need sub-specialty care, may be transferred to St. Joseph's Hospital to be cared for by the team at the National Brain Aneurysm Center.
The National Brain Aneurysm Center draws increasing numbers of patients every year from the Upper Midwest and around the country. We continue to enhance our leadership in treating some of the toughest neurovascular cases and restoring patients to their best possible quality of life.
