Science
Novel Therapy Aids Swallowing Recovery After Stroke
3 min. read
Baptist Health Brain & Spine Care
A novel neurostimulation therapy designed to support the recovery of swallowing function in patients following a stroke is now available for Baptist Health Brain and Spine Care patients at Marcus Neuroscience Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital and Baptist Health Miami Neuroscience Institute, following a pilot earlier this year.
Baptist Health Brain & Spine Care is the first in Florida to implement this type of targeted pharyngeal neurostimulation therapy for post-stroke dysphagia, which differs from traditional swallowing rehabilitation by directly stimulating the neural pathways that control swallowing rather than relying solely on exercise-based therapy.
Experts with both institutes say the treatment uses pharyngeal electrical stimulation (PES) delivered through a temporary catheter to activate sensory nerves in the throat. By helping reestablish the brain’s control of swallowing, they say, the approach may help patients return to oral nutrition sooner and lower the risk of complications related to impaired swallowing.
Early Experience at Baptist Health Brain & Spine Care
Both Marcus Neuroscience Institute and Miami Neuroscience Institute conducted the initial pilot treatments with several stroke patients in the Institutes’ intensive care units (Neuro ICUs). Those patients were attended to by a multidisciplinary team that included stroke services, nursing, speech-language pathology, rehabilitation, dietary services and physical medicine and rehabilitation.
“Our initial patients made remarkable progress in their swallowing abilities and were able to advance their diets more quickly than expected,” says Lina Hurtado, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Miami Neuroscience Institute. “Post-stroke swallowing impairment is a complex challenge. Having another therapeutic option—supported by a well-coordinated team—can make a meaningful difference.”
First in Florida to Use PES Therapy
Marcus Neuroscience Institute and Miami Neuroscience Institute are the first programs in the state of Florida to bring this PES therapy into clinical practice. Leaders credit both Institutes’ long-standing focus on innovation and their commitment to exploring new ways to enhance patient outcomes.
“Introducing PES therapy reflects our dedication to advancing recovery options for patients,” says Marcalee Sipski Alexander, M.D., physiatrist at Marcus Neuroscience Institute and medical director of the Cornell Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine at Bethesda Hospital East. “Helping patients regain the ability to swallow—often one of the most basic and most impactful functions after a stroke—is an important step in restoring independence.”
The neurostimulation therapy is being used in the Institute’s Neuro ICU, with plans for broader staff training in other units as well. At Miami Neuroscience Institute, physicians plan to use PES across multiple units, including Neuro ICU, Progressive Care and Neuro-Telemetry.
A Collaborative Effort
The PES therapy initiative reflects both Institutes’ collaboration and commitment to high quality brain and spine across South Florida. Teams at Marcus Neuroscience Institute and Miami Neuroscience Institute began exploring the therapy around the same time, allowing for shared learnings and coordinated planning.
“Our goal is to ensure that our patients receive consistent, evidence-informed care, no matter where they are treated,” Dr. Hurtado says. “This collaboration—linking clinical teams, rehabilitation services and our neuroscience programs—embodies that.”
What Patients Can Expect
Now that clinical use is underway, for patients recovering from a stroke, potential benefits of PES therapy include:
- Support in regaining swallowing ability
- A pathway that may speed resumption of oral intake
- Possible reduction in the need for feeding tubes in appropriate cases
“Our shared aim is to help patients reclaim essential functions after a stroke,” Dr. Alexander says. “Even small improvements in swallowing can profoundly improve safety, comfort and quality of life.”
Click here for more information about stroke services and specialists with Baptist Health Brain & Spine Care.
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Marcalee Alexander, MD
Marcalee Sipski Alexander, M.D., is a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Marcus Neuroscience Institute and serves as medical director of the Cornell Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine at Bethesda Hospital East, both part of Baptist Health. She has more than 30 years of experience helping patients with disabilities restore function after injury to muscle, bone, soft tissue or the nervous system. She has special expertise in spinal cord injury and a clinical interest in the development of telemedicine to increase accessibility to healthcare for people with spinal cord injury.
Dr. Alexander has held numerous academic positions and currently serves as an affiliate faculty member of the climate and health program at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Her vast clinical experience includes leading multiple Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems on the East coast, holding the role of director of spinal cord injury rehabilitation and medical director at Renown Regional Rehabilitation Hospital in Reno, Nevada, and serving in various leadership roles at the VA Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama. Prior to joining Baptist Health, she provided patients with telerehabilitation services in private practice.
Dr. Alexander earned her medical degree at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She remained at the university to complete an internship and residency in rehabilitation medicine, where she served as administrative chief resident.
Early in her career, Dr. Alexander served as the first female president of the American Spinal Injury Association and vice president for North America of the International Spinal Cord Society. Currently, she is a member of several professional societies.
Dr. Alexander has participated in numerous clinical trials related to spinal cord injury and conducted research documenting its effects on sexual response in both women and men. Her findings are widely published in peer-review publications. In conjunction with her research, she spearheaded the development of the International Standards for the Assessment of Autonomic Function After Spinal Cord Injury.
Dr. Alexander is the founding editor-in-chief of The Journal of Climate Change and Health and serves as an editorial board member of other publications. She is the author of numerous book chapters, scholarly publications and two books, Sexual Sustainability: A Guide to Having a Great Sex Life With a Spinal Cord Disorder and More Sex, Less Drugs: A View to the Future. She also is the editor of a new book entitled Climate Change and Disability: A Collaborative Approach to a Sustainable Future for All. This book reflects her concern about the impact of rising temperatures and weather disasters on people with and without disabilities.
In 2019, Dr. Alexander founded and led Sustain Our Abilities (SOA) to educate people about climate change, disability and health. In 2025, SOA became a committee of the Climate Health Society and Dr. Alexander serves as the inaugural president of this global interdisciplinary professional society that advances the prevention and treatment of health risks from increasing heat, harmful environmental exposures and ecological degradation while promoting strategies to enhance resilience and quality of life.
To raise awareness about the importance of exercise and being outdoors, Dr. Alexander completed a walk from Canada to Key West entitled GRAHAM (Green Route Aiding Health Adaptation and Mitigation). This passion project was named after her son, Graham, who died of fentanyl poisoning at the age of 20.
When treating patients, Dr. Alexander stresses the importance of healthy lifestyle habits and the judicious use of medications to reduce potential side effects and interactions. Her experience in integrative health, pain management and the treatment of sexual dysfunction enables her to help patients maintain their quality of life and maximize their abilities.
Aside from her lifelong ambition to connect with people and improve their quality of life, Dr. Alexander enjoys jogging, scuba diving, doing Pilates, traveling, reading, watching Netflix, decorating and spending time with her husband and sons.
Lina Maria Hurtado, MD
Lina Hurtado, M.D., is a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Baptist Health Miami Neuroscience Institute, treating patients in the inpatient setting. She is fluent in English and Spanish.
Dr. Hurtado focuses on enhancing and restoring functional ability and quality of life to people with physical impairment or disabilities. Prior to joining Baptist Health, Dr. Hurtado served as medical director at Saint Catherine’s West Rehabilitation Hospital in Miami. She has held numerous leadership positions, such as stroke rehabilitation director and assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation.
Dr. Hurtado earned her medical degree from Nueva Granada Military University in Colombia and completed her physical medicine and rehabilitation residency at University of Miami and Jackson Memorial Hospital. She received the Intern of the Year award in the general surgery department and Best Research Project in the physical medicine and rehabilitation department.
As she works with each patient, Dr. Hurtado listens to each concern and provide a comprehensive treatment plan that meets the individual’s unique goals. Through trust, effective communication and the latest healthcare innovations, she works to achieve the best possible outcomes.
In her spare time, Dr. Hurtado enjoys exercising, traveling and spending time with her family.
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