Stroke is a cardiovascular accident that occurs when there is an alteration in the circulation of blood in the brain. This interruption of blood flow can occur due to a blockage or rupture of a cerebral artery. It is one of the most frequent health problems that affects 13.000 people each year in Catalonia, causing different levels of disability in 45% of those affected. It is the first cause of serious disability and dependency in adults and is among the top three causes of mortality in Spain.
In stroke treatment, time is of the essence because every minute that passes, 2 million neurons are lost. Parc Taulí is a leading center in stroke treatment, becoming the first hospital in Catalonia where the needle-to-needle time, the time interval between the patient's arrival in the emergency room and the administration of intravenous treatment (fibrinolysis) to dissolve the clot, is 20 minutesAnd the fifth in porta-puncture, the time that elapses from entering the hospital until receiving the femoral puncture to perform a mechanical thrombectomy (removing the clot using a catheter) is 63 minutes.
Likewise, During 2025, 827 stroke codes were activated and the Parc Taulí Stroke Unit performed more than 90 thrombectomies to treat ischemic stroke. Good coordination between the Neurology and Interventional Radiology services has been essential to guarantee rapid intervention for the patient. “Through a Taulí APP, the patient's history number is entered and the message reaches the porteres, radiologists, anesthesia, head of duty. Everyone who has a function when a stroke code is activated”, explains Dr. Georgina Figueras, neurologist and member of the Stroke Unit.
Stroke Unit
Parc Taulí is a leading center in the care of stroke patients, both adults and children, to offer comprehensive assistance and quality care to the patient. The professionals who are part of the Stroke Code Unit work to minimize the time from the appearance of symptoms to their diagnosis and treatment.
In 2025 it was distinguished as a center of expertise in stroke patient care with the distinction of Stroke Center of the European Stroke Organization (ESO). And since 2023, the Stroke Code Unit of Parc Taulí has been part of the European registry ResQ (Registry of Stroke Care Quality), developed within the framework of the European Stroke Organization.