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Des Moines stroke survivor finds hope with nerve therapy
KCCI • • health
Key Points:
- Gary Luna, an 80-year-old stroke survivor in Des Moines, is undergoing rehabilitation therapy enhanced by an implanted vagus nerve stimulation device to regain movement in his right arm and hand.
- The device, previously used for epilepsy, sends electrical pulses to the brain to strengthen neural connections when paired with repetitive exercises, and has been FDA-approved for certain stroke survivors.
- Dr. Simon Wright, who performed the implant surgery, describes the results as "miraculous," noting significant improvements in Luna’s handwriting after just one week of therapy.
- The procedure is expected to become more popular in Iowa within the next few months, offering new hope for stroke patients who have plateaued in traditional rehabilitation.
- While promising, doctors caution that further studies are needed to determine the broader applicability of vagus nerve stimulation for other stroke-related impairments.
