Led by David Altschul, MD, and Neil Haranhalli, MD, from our Division of Vascular Neurosurgery, Montefiore Einstein was one of only 37 sites in the nation participating in the ENRICH (Early Minimally Invasive Removal of ICH) trial, a multicenter, randomized control trial for the surgical evacuation of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) using a minimally invasive parafascicular surgical (MIPS) technique. This approach allows us to access the depths of the brain without traumatizing normal white matter brain tissue and avoids the surgical risks of a large, open craniotomy. One of the first of its kind, this trial studied the safety and efficacy of early MIPS evacuation of ICH using a tubular device as compared to medical management alone. 

Upon completion of the study early in 2023, the results revealed that this was the first trial in history to demonstrate overall function and survival benefit of the surgical removal of ICH. This revolutionary trial has altered the standard of care for patients with ICH and places Montefiore Einstein at the forefront of this life-saving treatment. As a result of this landmark study, the MIPS technique offers hope to patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage for improved functional outcome and decreased disability and mortality if they receive surgical treatment early enough. 

At the forefront of acute and chronic stroke care, Montefiore Einstein is among the elite three percent of hospitals in the nation to have earned the prestigious Comprehensive Stroke Center Designation from the Joint Commission. Distinguished as an NIH StrokeNet Regional Coordinating Center since the inception of the NIH StrokeNet more than ten years ago, we are among an elite group of only 27 centers in the nation to be awarded with a 5-year grant funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)/NIH, spearheading and participating in numerous clinical trials to advance promising interventions for stroke prevention, treatment, recovery and rehabilitation for patients with or at risk of a stroke, across all stages of life.