Former NBA Player Finds Support, Treatment with Texas Health Fort Worth

FORT WORTH, Texas, June 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Robert Williams knew something was wrong. His movement and thought process were off-kilter.

As a former NBA player, Williams understood competition, but he didn't know why he was fast becoming his most challenging opponent. Williams is grateful for the individuals at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth and their commitment to supporting the highest level of neurological care. 

Williams also credits his wife, because of her quick response.

She called 911. Paramedics arrived. They confirmed her fears. Her husband was having a stroke.

Receiving comprehensive treatment

Texas Health Fort Worth is one of fewer than 45 comprehensive stroke facilities in Texas.

In fact, Texas Health Fort Worth cares for the highest number of stroke patients* in North Texas, including high-acuity patients such as Williams.

A clot about the size of a watermelon seed was blocking blood flow to the left side of Williams' brain, said Yinn Cher Ooi, M.D., a neurosurgeon on the Texas Health Fort Worth medical staff.

"Mr. Williams had tortuous vessels, with extreme twist and bend throughout his chest and neck, making it impossible to perform a traditional thrombectomy," Ooi said.

He recommended enrolling Williams in a national clinical trial, with Texas Health Fort Worth being one of the participating sites. Ooi used a novel approach to directly access Williams' carotid artery through a small incision just above the collar bone, bypassing the tortuous vessels and successfully extracting the clot.

Surviving a harrowing journey

Williams spent 19 days at Texas Health Fort Worth, but the former athlete said his journey is far from over.

"God left me here to do something. I don't know what it is, but I do know that I want to help others in the same situation as me."

Learn more here (https://www.texashealth.org/Health-and-Wellness/Neurosciences).

* Source: Statistical information provided by Texas Health Care Information Collection. 

About Texas Health Resources:   
Texas Health Resources is a faith-based, nonprofit health system that cares for more patients in North Texas than any other provider. With a service area that consists of 16 counties and more than 7 million people, the system is committed to providing quality, coordinated care through its Texas Health Physicians Group and 29 hospital locations. The system has more than 4,100 licensed hospital beds, 6,400 physicians with active staff privileges and more than 28,000 employees.   

SOURCE Texas Health Resources