A new medical device is giving stroke patients new hope. It’s a stimulator designed to reawaken movement and mobility lost after suffering a stroke.

Kay Hacklander was one of the first patients in the Twin Cities to receive the device called a “Vivistim” implant through Allina Health. It’s an electrical stimulator that runs up the side of the neck.

“I can move my elbow more, move my hand more,” she said.

Hacklander lost the use of her left arm and left hand during a stroke eight years ago. The device, coupled with physical therapy, should help her regain muscle and movement.

Dr. Pat O’Brien with Allina Health says the stimulation can reactivate areas of the brain even years after a stroke occurs.

“You can create new connections and new neurons that help work around the trouble created by a stroke,” he said.

O’Brien says there has been a lot of patient interest in the device so far, but because the technology is so new, it can be challenging to get insurance approval.