The purpose of this research study is to study the utility of advanced blood testing for patients who have had a stroke and tend to form blood clots more than usual. The study involves blood tests using a new testing system that may detect issues with blood clotting easier than conventional tests. This is a 12-month study and will involve one blood draw and follow-up phone calls

This study aims to establish the best clinical practice for the management of acute ischemic stroke related to narrowing or blockage of the neck vessels. Currently, the treating physicians use one of two surgical approaches based on their preference. However, we do not know which technique is the best. In this study, you will undergo mechanical thrombectomy using one of the techniques (stenting vs. non-stenting approaches) to determine which technique is better compared to the other.

The purpose of this study is to study the effectiveness of steroids after sleep surgery in improving pain, reducing difficulties in swallowing, and reducing the amount of narcotic pain medication after surgery. This study also want to see what dosage of steroids, whether intravenous or oral, are more effective at reducing these symptoms and providing a more effective surgical procedure for your sleep apnea. Anyone planning to undergo sleep surgery for your obstructive sleep apnea at the recommendation of the Sleep Surgery Division here at MUSC is invited to participate in this study. The study will be using both intravenous and oral dexamethasone, a very common and widely used steroid. This steroid has been FDA approved for many medical indications.