Stroke Patients Participate in New Nerve Stimulation Therapy Trial

Two years ago, Michael Koers, then 62, was a healthy and active courier who enjoyed working at his family’s allotment. However, his life changed one night after he experienced a stroke, which resulted in ongoing issues affecting his left side. He is currently at King’s College Hospital in Camberwell, south London, to determine his eligibility for a new clinical trial. If accepted, medical staff aim to help him regain more movement in his arm and hand. The hospital is conducting numerous tests to assess the extent of movement in his left arm and hand. Michael commented, “It’s not like I was an inactive person. I just woke up in the middle of the night having a stroke, simple as that.” He further elaborated on the impact, stating, “It’s been a total disruption. There’s no way I can continue with the role I was doing. I’ve always been a very hands-on person, an outdoors type, but the stroke’s limited that completely.” Ava Coughlan, an occupational therapist, is present to evaluate Michael’s suitability for the trial. She instructed him, “Lift you arm,” and “Turn your wrist. Try and hold on to the piece of paper while I try to take it.” Should he be accepted into the trial, he will receive a device that bears a resemblance to a hearing aid. This device would be placed in his ear and connected to another unit designed to transmit electrical signals to his vagus nerve, which is responsible for carrying signals between the brain, heart, and digestive system. The expectation is that this device could facilitate easier movement in his arm and hand. In a similar program conducted in the United States, patients utilized a comparable device that required surgical implantation. The therapy then necessitated administration under hospital supervision by a therapist, who activated the stimulation. This novel technique employs only a portable device; patients wear a monitor, similar to a watch, which is connected to a mobile phone to collect data. The device is utilized while patients perform rehabilitation exercises. The objective of the trial in the UK is to ascertain if this method is as effective as the US program, potentially eliminating the need for patients to undergo surgery. Michael remarked, “This is a very interesting trial. Even if I don’t make it on to it I think it’s something that other people that have strokes could benefit from. If I’m accepted, hopefully they can use what they learn for other people in the future.” The trial at King’s College Hospital is part of a broader initiative managed by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and the University of Sheffield. In London, consultant occupational therapist Bill Tahtis is leading this effort. He indicated that preliminary research suggests that receiving stimulation from the device can accelerate the rehabilitation process. He stated, “We think this is something on top of the therapy we provide that will be really beneficial to patients.” Currently, Bill Tahtis and his team are actively recruiting additional participants for the study, specifically seeking patients who experienced a stroke between six months and 10 years prior. He remarked, “We don’t know whether the treatment will be effective using this mechanism and we don’t know which specific subgroups it will work for.” He further added, “It’s exciting, we feel it’s got great promise but we’re testing to see if it does.” For Michael, the outcome was positive. Following approximately an hour of testing, he was accepted into the trial and provided with numerous exercises to perform daily at home, incorporating the new device. He departed laughing, stating, “I don’t know what I passed… But I passed something!”