Introduction: The stroke network considers the presence of hospitals with stroke teams (STH), stroke units (SUH) and Comprehensive Stroke Centers (CSC). The aim of the current study is to identify, according to specialized vascular neurologists, the main components needed in different kind of stroke centers.
Methods: A survey was carried out between February and March 2008 to know the opinion of 36 vascular neurologists. Questions were about the components needed in each hospital level treating stroke patients.
Results: Neurologists considered that STH must have as indispensable requirements the following components: emergency department, laboratory and computerized tomography scan facilities with full time availability (24 hours a day/7 days a week), multidisciplinary team including physiotherapists, action plans and pre-established referral circuits to SUH and CSC. Experts considered indispensable for SUH the aforementioned components and specific beds with multiparametric vitals monitoring, expert vascular neurologists, specialized nursery, neurologist on call, intravenous thrombolysis (full time), intensive care unit (ICU), neurorehabilitation specialists, diagnosis neuroradiologists, social workers, echocardiography, full time available neurosurgery, stroke register and educational programmes for patients and relatives. CSC must have the same components as STH-SUH and neurosurgeons specialized in stroke surgery, vascular surgeons specialized in carotid surgery and doctors specialized in endovascular intervention with full time availability.
Conclusions: The results show the components or requirements that are considered necessary by specialized vascular neurologists, evaluated on the basis of different hospital levels treating stroke patients.