Researchers will follow patients who receive Vivistim® System, an FDA-approved therapy
Sarasota Memorial’s Kolschowsky Research and Education Institute is enrolling patients in a national research study to learn more about a treatment that may help stroke survivors regain movement in their arms and hands, the staff of the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMH) has announced.
The study, called GRASP, is led locally by Dr. Ryan Hafner, “a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician with Sarasota Memorial’s First Physicians Group,” the release notes. “Researchers will follow patients who receive the Vivistim® System, an FDA-approved therapy designed to improve arm and hand function after a stroke. Sponsored by Mobia Medical Inc., the study will track patients’ progress over time to better understand how the therapy performs in everyday clinical care,” the release explains.
“Recovering from a stroke can be a long and difficult journey, especially for people who continue to have weakness or limited movement in their arm or hand,” Hafner said in the release. “This study will help us better understand how paired vagus nerve stimulation therapy may improve recovery and support patients over the long term,” he added.
The national registry study is open to adults age 18 and older “who have had a stroke, have moderate to severe upper limb deficits and are clinically considered appropriate for paired vagus nerve stimulation therapy,” the release points out.
“For many stroke survivors, improving arm and hand function can make a meaningful difference in daily life,” the release continues. “By participating in the GRASP study, Sarasota Memorial patients may help researchers and clinicians better understand long-term outcomes associated with this therapy and its role in stroke rehabilitation,” it adds.
For more information or to find out if a person is eligible to participate in the local study, contact Sarasota Memorial’s research team at 941-917-2225 or researchinstitute@smh.com. Additional information about the national registry study is available at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05301140
“Located on the flagship Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Sarasota campus, the Kolschowsky Research and Education Institute serves as a premier hub for medical research and clinical innovation,” the release says.
“Through state-of-the-art simulation labs, hands-on training programs, and a robust portfolio of clinical studies, Sarasota Memorial and the Kolschowsky Institute play a vital role in advancing medical knowledge, improving patient outcomes, and shaping the future” of health care in the region,” the release notes. For more information, visit www.smh.com/research