Embolic stroke (brain embolism)

Embolic stroke care at Mayo Clinic

Your Mayo Clinic care team

Mayo Clinic's world-renowned stroke teams include doctors trained in blood vessel and brain conditions (cerebrovascular neurologists), brain blood vessel imaging (endovascular surgical neuroradiologists), blood vessel brain surgery (vascular neurosurgeons), physical medicine and rehabilitation (physiatrists), emergency medicine, and other subspecialists who work together to provide exactly the care you need.

Having all this expertise in a single place, focused on you, means that you're not just getting one opinion. Your care is discussed among the team. Your test results are available quickly. Appointments are scheduled in coordination. And the most highly specialized stroke experts in the world are all working together for you.

Advanced diagnosis and treatment

With state-of-the-art research and laboratory facilities, Mayo Clinic stroke experts use advanced technology and sophisticated imaging tests to accurately diagnose strokes or other cerebrovascular conditions. They work together to find the cause of your symptoms and to decide on a treatment plan for you.

At Mayo Clinic, experienced vascular neurosurgeons perform more than 2,800 procedures for stroke and other cerebrovascular conditions each year. They quickly decide on and then perform the most effective procedures using the latest minimally invasive surgical techniques.

Find out about Mayo Clinic's telestroke (stroke telemedicine) program.

Expertise and rankings

More than 17,000 people with stroke or other blood vessel and brain (cerebrovascular) conditions receive comprehensive care from Mayo Clinic's stroke experts each year.

• Innovative programs. Experts at Mayo Clinic's campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota use telestroke medicine (stroke telemedicine) to evaluate people who have had strokes at remote sites. They also offer treatment recommendations to healthcare professionals at remote sites. Healthcare professionals communicate using digital video cameras, internet telecommunications, robots and other technology. Experts at Mayo Clinic's Minnesota campus offer brain rehabilitation to people who have had strokes.
• Research leader. Mayo Clinic specialists and researchers actively study stroke causes, risk factors, prevention, diagnostic tests and treatment options, and conduct clinical trials.

• Nationally recognized expertise. Mayo Clinic's campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota are each certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center — Arizona and Florida per Det Norske Veritas and Minnesota per The Joint Commission. Both are organizations that evaluate and accredit hospitals and staff. The Mayo Clinic Health System sites in Eau Claire and La Crosse, Wisconsin, and Mankato, Minnesota, are certified as Primary Stroke Centers by The Joint Commission.

  Mayo Clinic's campuses have received the following achievement awards from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines (GWTG) Stroke program:

  Arizona — GWTG Stroke Gold Plus, Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus, and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
  Eau Claire — GWTG Stroke Gold Plus, Target: Stroke Honor Roll, and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
  Florida — GWTG Stroke Gold Plus, Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus, Advanced Therapy, and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
  La Crosse — GWTG Stroke Gold Plus, Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite, and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
  Mankato — GWTG Stroke Gold Plus, Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite, and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
  Rochester — GWTG Stroke Gold Plus, Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite, Advanced Therapy, and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.

Learn more about Mayo Clinic's neurology and neurosurgery departments' expertise and rankings.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is ranked among the Best Hospitals for neurology and neurosurgery and rehabilitation by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo Clinic Children's in Rochester is ranked the No. 1 hospital in Minnesota and the five-state region of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2025-2026 "Best Children's Hospitals" rankings.

Living with embolic stroke (brain embolism)?

Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases support group on Mayo Clinic Connect, a patient community.

Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases Discussions

See more discussions