Brenton Parr experienced a severe dizzy spell early in the morning of February 4, prompting immediate concern. “I felt as though the whole room and world were starting to spin around me, and I thought, ‘I need to get on the floor right now,’” said Parr, 57. His partner found him collapsed near a window shortly after.
Parr suspected he was having a stroke and urgently needed medical attention. He received initial treatment from a mobile stroke unit and was subsequently handed over to UTHealth Houston's neurology stroke team. This series of events culminated in heart surgery to correct a birth defect believed to be the cause of his condition.
During his transport, nurse communication with Dr. Andrew Barreto from UTHealth Houston facilitated quick action. Dr. Barreto ordered tenecteplase after a CT scan revealed an ischemic stroke.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, strokes occur every 40 seconds in the United States, with ischemic strokes accounting for 87% of cases. Stroke is also a leading cause of death and disability in the country.
Parr’s symptoms did not align with classic stroke indicators such as face drooping or arm weakness but included dizziness and vision trouble. After two milder episodes in 2022 initially diagnosed as vertigo, this incident proved more severe.
At Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, Parr was attended by Dr. Sishir Mannava's team, which included vascular neurology resident Dr. Glauco Cesario and fellow Dr. Jacob Sambursky. They identified a clot in Parr’s basilar artery through cerebral angiography.
Dr. Mannava explained that the clot was partially resolved but required further intervention via endovascular thrombectomy performed by Dr. Peng Roc Chen’s team at Memorial Hermann-TMC.
Following successful surgery and rapid recovery, further investigation revealed Parr had a patent foramen ovale (PFO), an open hole between heart atria present since birth but typically closed shortly thereafter.
Two weeks post-hospitalization, Parr visited UTHealth Houston's Heart Brain Program where he met with Drs. Anjail Sharrief and Abhijeet Dhoble for coordinated cardiological and neurological care.
Dr. Dhoble diagnosed Parr with a large PFO, enrolling him in clinical trials comparing new closure systems against standard occlusion methods while also participating in telehealth-based post-stroke care research led by Dr. Sharrief.
Parr opted for surgical correction performed by Drs. Dhoble and Muhammad Khan before Easter, resulting in swift discharge from hospital care.
Despite minor residual symptoms such as facial numbness, Parr has resumed regular gym workouts and recently undertook physical tasks like tree cutting at home.
“The fact that I am where I am is 100% the result of the stroke unit and the stroke team,” Parr expressed gratitude towards his medical team for their prompt actions.
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