Washington's First Vivistim® Program Helps Stroke Survivors Recover

"It's a story of hope." That's what Kenmore resident Carla Keats said about her husband Gordon's recovery from a severe ischemic stroke in 2023. Gordon lost all function of his right arm and faced new challenges to his speech and mobility in the stroke's immediate aftermath. The couple was visiting Palm Desert when it happened, and Gordon required seven weeks of intensive rehabilitation before he was safe to fly home. "It was scary," she said.

But still, Carla finds hope.

That's because Gordon is no ordinary patient, and his treatment wasn't ordinary either.

Vagal Nerve Stimulation: A Breakthrough in Post-Stroke Care

For many years, post-stroke rehabilitation was limited to oral medication, Botox and physical, occupational and speech therapy. Those treatments produced positive outcomes, but many patients were still left with significant limitations to their ability to perform many activities of daily living.

But in April 2021, The Lancet published the groundbreaking results of a clinical trial called VNS-REHAB that found that vagal nerve stimulation when paired with intense occupational therapy leads to significant improvement in upper limb function for patients after an ischemic stroke. The study found this treatment produced a five-point average improvement in the Fugl–Meyer Assessment Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) functionality assessment.

This discovery was the largest step forward in post-stroke care in decades.

Vivistim is the first neurostimulator device designed specifically for post-stroke recovery. When the FDA approved it for ischemic stroke patients in August 2021, patients like Gordon suddenly had a chance to regain functions that had always been out of reach.

Led by neurologist Dr. Sheila Smith of EvergreenHealth General Neurology, EvergreenHealth became the first hospital in Washington State to offer Vivistim to patients in 2025. Gordon was their first patient.

"You Just Keep Getting Better"

As soon the couple got home, Carla explored which hospitals would be best for Gordon's ongoing physical, occupational and speech therapy. She received many recommendations, but EvergreenHealth's prompt follow-up call to schedule appointments would prove pivotal in Gordon's recovery.

Right away, Gordon's therapists could tell he was a different kind of patient. "His physical therapist said to him once, typically we would've discharged you from PT by now, but you just keep getting better," Carla said. "They always include him in goal-setting and they're always so patient and kind."

Gordon's recovery was going well, and in November 2025, the couple met with EvergreenHealth neurologist Dr. Rachael Schutz of EvergreenHealth General Neurology, who had been working with her team to get the hospital's Vivistim contract signed. "She said Gordon would be a prime candidate for Vivistim when it's ready," Carla said.

Gordon's occupational therapist, Annie Wong, performed the FMA-UA test and he qualified for the treatment. A few months later, Dr. Ryder Gwinn of EvergreenHealth Spine & Neurosurgical Care placed the implant in an outpatient surgery. After two weeks of recovery, Gordon began six weeks of intensive occupational therapy three times per week.

"You Don't Give Up"

Gordon's improvements since his Vivistim device placement have been small, but they've changed how he lives his life. "It hasn't even been a year since we turned it on, and he can now use his right arm to help zip a jacket, put clothes on and he can lift that hand up to his mouth," Carla said.

"That doesn't sound like much, but I look back at the text messages I sent to my friends when he was in rehab in California and back then, we got excited about a tiny twinge of shoulder movement. Now, he can hold playing cards in that hand, walk with a four-prong cane and walk to the pantry, open the door, grab a snack, hold it in his right hand and walk back to a chair."

Gordon's recovery is no outlier: "Across all our Vivistim patients at EvergreenHealth, we've seen an average of 13-point improvement on the Fugl-Meyer assessment," Annie said. "That is higher than the average five-point improvement published in the research trial. So I'm really proud of the work we're doing at EvergreenHealth, and I know the patients are very happy with the outcomes."

Stroke recovery isn't easy. But with a dedicated care team like Gordon has at EvergreenHealth, groundbreaking technology and a patient who never learned how to quit, as Carla said, "Growth is going to continue to happen."

"Everyone on Gordon's team was very positive that you don't give up, so we're not going to either."

To learn more from Dr. Smith and Annie Wong, you can listen to the full Check-Up Chat podcast episode or click to watch the vodcast.

You can also learn more about EvergreenHealth Neurosurgery by visiting our website.