Des Moines doctor says first stroke implant patient is making strides - KCCI

What the report says

KCCI Des Moines reports that Gary Luna, an 80-year-old Iowa stroke survivor, is seeing early improvement after receiving an implanted vagus nerve stimulator intended to support rehabilitation. Luna had two strokes that affected his right arm and hand, and his family said they had been told he might not regain full use even with therapy. The story was updated July 28, 2026, from Des Moines.

According to KCCI, the device delivers electrical stimulation through the vagus nerve while a patient performs repeated therapy exercises, with the goal of helping the brain strengthen pathways tied to hand and arm movement. The technology has long been used in epilepsy care, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved its use with rehabilitation for some stroke survivors. Des Moines ENT surgeon Simon Wright, who has performed many vagus nerve stimulator implants, told KCCI that Luna was his first stroke patient to receive one.

Luna is completing a six-week rehabilitation program at Younker Rehabilitation Center in Des Moines after the implant. KCCI reported that after one week, his handwriting had progressed from nearly unreadable marks to clearer letters, and the headline noted he is also working toward activities such as writing and golf.

Doctors cited in the report said more Iowa patients have already been approved and expect use of the procedure to increase in the coming months. They also cautioned that Luna’s outcome is still developing and that broader uses for other stroke-related impairments remain unproven. KCCI reported that stroke survivors at least six months post-stroke may be eligible for the device, and doctors said it can improve function by two to three times.