First FDA-approved device to improve arm and hand function
Mar. 3, 2026
Contact:
Chelsey Kralicek
Sanford Health Media Relations
701-516-4903 / Chelsey.Kralicek@SanfordHealth.org
BISMARCK, N.D. —A breakthrough therapy for stroke survivors to help improve upper‑limb function through vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) paired with rehabilitation is now available at Sanford Bismarck. Mobia Medical Inc. and Sanford Health today announced the availability of the FDA‑approved Vivistim.
Vivistim is the first and only FDA‑approved device that uses VNS during therapy to help stroke survivors significantly improve arm and hand function—even years after their stroke. Clinical studies show patients using Vivistim achieve two to three times greater improvement than rehabilitation alone.
The system works by delivering gentle, precisely timed vagus‑nerve stimulation during therapist‑guided rehabilitation, strengthening neural pathways that support motor recovery. Vivistim is intended for chronic ischemic stroke survivors who continue to experience moderate to severe upper‑limb impairment six months or more after their stroke. The therapy includes a small, implanted device, therapist‑led sessions using a wireless remote, and at‑home exercises activated by a handheld magnet to support continued recovery in daily tasks.
“Our team is excited by the potential of Vivistim,” said Tiffany Skor, MOTR/L, CLT, therapy and rehabilitation manager, Sanford Bismarck. “As occupational therapists, we see firsthand how innovation can reshape the patient journey, and Vivistim represents a significant step forward. Its capabilities open new possibilities for personalized therapy, improved outcomes and more efficient care. We’re excited to bring this technology into our practice and confident it will make a meaningful difference for the patients and families we serve.”
For more information, visit vivistim.com.
The Sanford Health Bismarck Region provides health care to central and western North Dakota, eastern Montana and northern South Dakota. It includes 26 clinics in Bismarck, Mandan, Minot, Dickinson, Williston and Watford City, as well as a Level II trauma center located in Bismarck.
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 55,000 employees and serves more than 2 million patients and nearly 415,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 58 hospitals, 289 clinic locations, 145 senior care communities, 4,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and 1,100 active clinical trials and studies. The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to nearly 80 specialties. More than 400 residents and fellows are trained each year through graduate medical education with Sanford Health fully funding and supporting 29 of the 40 available programs. Sanford Health also includes Lewis Drug, a pharmacy and retail chain with 60 locations in three states and nearly 190 pharmacists. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
