UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital offers access to advanced stroke rehabilitation
Colorado’s first vagus nerve stimulation program is helping patients rebuild strength and mobility after ischemic stroke
Summary
UCHealth is offering Colorado’s first vagus nerve stimulation program for ischemic stroke rehabilitation. The implanted device is used with physical therapy to help build neuroplasticity and improve arm strength and mobility. Since the program began in August 2025, 14 patients have received implants, including Denver resident Kyle Severson, who reports increased grip strength and greater independence in dhe therapy is designed for ischemic stroke patients with upper-extremity weakness and combines an implanted device with physical therapy.
Key Facts
- UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital is offering vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy for stroke rehabilitation
- The therapy is designed for ischemic stroke patients with upper extermity weakness and combines an implanted device with physical therapy, building neuroplasticity and helps to strengthen muscles
- Research is underway to determine if VNS can be expanded beyond the upper extermities to other parts of the body, including legs.
Aurora, Colo. (Sept. 10, 2026) – For the past year, UCHealth has been leading the way in Colorado stroke rehabilitation as the first health system in the state to offer vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy, a popular treatment designed to help patients regain arm mobility after a stroke.
How vagus nerve stimulation supports stroke rehabilitation
The therapy is designed for ischemic stroke patients and works using a device that is implanted in the chest which stimulates the vagus nerve. The stimulation when combined with physical therapy builds neuroplasticity in the brain and helps strengthen muscles to improve mobility. Since August 2025, UCHealth has implanted 14 patients and aims to implant at least two patients a month.
"Kyle was a patient of mine and he reached out to me and asked if I had heard of vagus nerve therapy," said Dr. Bakeman. "Together we started to build the program. It took over a year for the program to completely launch; we had to go through product development, cost, and insurance to basically prove that financially it made sense and that the evidence was strong."
Building Colorado's first VNS program for stroke recovery
UCHealth was able to bring VNS to Colorado because of the advocacy work of a UCHealth patient, Kyle Severson of Denver, and with the support of Dr. Bakeman.
Dr. Bakeman notes that VNS is an option for ischemic stroke patients who have previously suffered from a stroke even decades prior. The procedure for the implant is low risk and minimally invasive.
"We have been able to exponentially grow the program," said Dr. Delia Bakeman, DO and neuropsychiatrist at UCHealth. "The procedure has been approved for patients who have upper extremity weakness; however, we are doing research to see if we can expand the use of VNS for other parts of the body such as the legs."
A stroke survivor regains strength and independence
“The implant has done wonders for me,” said Kyle Severson. “I have seen more grip strength from the affected arm.”
Since his procedure, Kyle can now snowboard and participates in indoor rock climbing. He has also been able to find more independence through the ability to perform daily tasks such as cooking, vacuuming, and carrying a laundry basket.
“After getting the implant, my life is opening with freedom with this newfound purpose,” he said.
About UCHealth
UCHealth is a nationally recognized nonprofit health system that pushes the boundaries of medicine through advanced treatments and clinical trials, improving health through innovation and providing unmatched patient care in the Rocky Mountain West. Investing $1.6 billion in community benefits including $762 million in uncompensated and charity care each year, UCHealth is Colorado’s largest Medicaid provider and dedicated to the communities it serves. With the region’s only adult academic medical center, University of Colorado Hospital on the CU Anschutz campus, UCHealth includes 38,000 employees, 15 acute-care hospitals and thousands of physicians across Colorado, Wyoming and western Nebraska.