Navigating Recovery with Vivistim®: A Deep Dive on Paired Vagus Nerve Stimulation with Dr. Teresa Jacobson Kimberley

We’re kicking off Stroke Awareness Month with our first business spotlight series in partnership with Vivistim®. On this episode we’ll introduce you to Teresa Jacobson Kimberley, PT, PhD, FAPTA  Director of the Rehabilitation Science PhD Program School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences MGH Institute of Health Professionals.

About our Guest:

Dr. Kimberley is a Professor and Director of the Brain Recovery Lab in the MGH Institute’s Department of Physical Therapy. She is also a research associate at Harvard Medical School, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery. Her lab’s cross-disciplinary focus is to understand the pathophysiology of sensory-motor impairment and facilitate recovery for people with neurologic disorders. The career-long impact of her work is reflected in numerous awards, including Physical Therapy’s highest honor of being named a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association. Connect with our guest
Mention: VNS REHAB 

About Vivistim®:
Vivistim® is the first FDA-approved neurostimulation device to pair vagus nerve stimulation with rehabilitation therapy and daily activities. This pairing helps strengthen the brain connections needed to improve hand and arm function. It’s the only system of its kind, and it is proven safe and effective. The MicroTransponder® Vivistim® Paired VNS™ System is intended to be used to stimulate the vagus nerve during rehabilitation therapy in order to reduce upper extremity motor deficits and improve motor function in chronic ischemic stroke patients with moderate to severe arm impairment. Do not use if you have had a bilateral or left cervical vagotomy. Risks may include, but are not limited to pain after surgery, hoarseness, bruising, swelling, coughing and throat irritation. While not observed in the Vivistim studies, infection leading to explant is a risk associated with any device surgery. For full safety information, please see www.vivistim.com/safety. Individual results may vary.

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Chapters

• 3:00 About our Guest
• 4:50 Vivistim Disclaimer
• 5:30 Welcome Dr. Kimberley
• 9:00 Neuroplasticity and Neuromodulation
• 10:40 Challenges with Chronic Stroke
• 17:17 Vivistim Technology and Research
• 24:02 Pairing VNS with Exercise
• 29:47 Who Qualifies for VNS?
• 33:02 Home Exercise Paired with Vivistim
• 37:17 Training Crossover Effect
• 42:02 Firing Neurons!
• 43:17 Onboarding with Vivistim
• 46:37 Patient Success Stories with Vivistim
• 52:32 Reimbursement
• 54:53 Magic Wand!