New procedure helps regain hand and arm movement after stroke
Outpatient treatment at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville is helping to restore independence and quality of life following ischemic stroke
Jacksonville, FL.
For many stroke survivors, weakness or limited movement in their hands and arms can persist long after the initial event, making routine tasks a daily challenge. Baptist Health is bringing renewed hope to those affected by stroke by offering a new outpatient procedure that, when paired with rehabilitative therapy, may help patients regain function in their upper extremities months or even years after an ischemic stroke. The therapy is the latest example of the health system’s longstanding commitment to offering coordinated stroke care from diagnosis to recovery.
“This first-of-its-kind treatment represents a promising new advancement in stroke recovery,” said neurosurgeon Eric Sauvageau, MD, co-medical director of Baptist Stroke & Cerebrovascular Center. “Because it helps create new neural connections, improvements in movement can continue even after rehabilitative therapy ends. I’ve seen patients who couldn’t open their hands following a stroke five, seven, or even 10 years ago now using their hands to eat.”
The minimally invasive procedure, performed at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville, involves implanting a medical device no bigger than the palm of a hand into a patient’s chest. A wire connects the device to the vagus nerve in the neck, which carries signals between the brain and body. The FDA-approved Vivistim® Paired VNS™ System delivers gentle, repeated stimulation to help support recovery.
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), when delivered alongside physical and occupational therapy, boosts the brain’s ability to relearn movement by strengthening existing neural pathways and creating new ones that bypass areas damaged by the stroke. Research has shown that pairing VNS with rehabilitation may help people recover hand and arm function better than rehabilitation alone, with some studies finding improvements that were two to three times greater.1 While VNS is a newer approach for stroke recovery, it has been used at Baptist Health for years to treat other conditions such as epilepsy.
Regaining movement and independence
The VNS treatment for stroke is suitable for those who have experienced moderate to severe upper extremity impairment for at least six months or more following an ischemic stroke. Outpatient rehabilitation therapy begins two to three weeks after implantation, with sessions focused on everyday activities such as brushing one’s hair or cutting food. The device delivers stimulation as patients perform these movements, and patients can continue therapy at home by activating the device while practicing exercises or performing daily tasks.
“This innovative therapy is part of our ongoing effort to bring leading-edge stroke treatments to the communities we are privileged to serve,” said Nicole B. Thomas, FACHE, president of Baptist Jacksonville. “As the regional leader in comprehensive stroke care, our specialist teams excel at delivering compassionate care that restores independence and quality of life to our patients and their families.”
Baptist Health is a regional leader in neurology and neurosurgery and is recognized nationally for minimally invasive, innovative treatments and groundbreaking research. At the forefront of this work is Baptist Stroke & Cerebrovascular Center. Located at Baptist Jacksonville, it is Northeast Florida’s leading center for advanced diagnostics and treatments for strokes, brain aneurysms and other cerebrovascular conditions. The center’s reach extends to more than two dozen hospitals and satellite EDs via the Telestroke Program, which virtually connects physicians and health care professionals in the greater Jacksonville area and South Georgia with Baptist Health’s stroke experts. Accessible 24/7, the program promotes quicker diagnosis and treatment, reduces potential disability and saves lives.
For more information on Baptist Health’s stroke program and the Baptist Stroke & Cerebrovascular Center, please visit: BaptistJax.com/Stroke.