Garden of Implants?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
AfibApnea
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Garden of Implants?

Post by AfibApnea » Wed Sep 02, 2015 12:32 pm

Apparently more than one implant relating to sleep apnea is available (or being tested) in the United States, and/or the rest of the world.

Three I've read about are: Questions:
  • Is the whole "implant" approach new or has it been around for a while?
    Are each of the implant approaches essentially variations on the same theme?
    Can this post start a list of various implant approaches (complete with Internet reference)
    Has anyone had any experience with any sort of implant device related to sleep apnea?
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chunkyfrog
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Re: Garden of Implants?

Post by chunkyfrog » Wed Sep 02, 2015 12:40 pm

Insurance coverage? Not a word.
Peer-reviewed lab studies? Nope, at least none I've seen.
All we ever see is G-D MARKETING!
What do you think?

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Goofproof
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Re: Garden of Implants?

Post by Goofproof » Wed Sep 02, 2015 12:44 pm

Maybe Americans are considered fertile ground. We do seem to put up with a lot of Bull _hit, from our news media, and then there's the Sheeple Factor.

We did score high on the Internet Nigerian Scammer List of the Year. We seem to have ⊙ on our backs. Jim
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chunkyfrog
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Re: Garden of Implants?

Post by chunkyfrog » Wed Sep 02, 2015 12:47 pm

And if you are over (fill in your age), they are more than happy to truss you up and leave you near the swamp.

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AfibApnea
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Re: Garden of Implants?

Post by AfibApnea » Wed Sep 02, 2015 1:48 pm

C’mon now.
  • - Insurance companies would rather not cover anything.
    - Although I’m more than willing to trash Americans for many things--used to accuse PC users of the sheepie (follow the flock) factor but now reserve that crit to Mac users (this is not winning me admirers)--you’re going to have to extend this comment to Europeans to get it to fly.
    - And I probably fall into the (fill in your age) group in spades.
If you fall into the category of someone who isn’t at all overweight; has a hate/not-at-all-love relationship with the …PAP technology you’ve used for two years; and find yourself experiencing constant daytime fatigue; falling asleep at the drop of a hat (at movies; in cars…; everywhere) you’re looking for anything to make up for what the air blower isn’t doing.

Apparently there are implants out there; apparently they have gone through testing (and peer review—unless they don’t do that sort of thing outside the US); and apparently they are being used. I would think this forum would be the best place to explore what might be an opportunity to get better.
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LSAT
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Re: Garden of Implants?

Post by LSAT » Wed Sep 02, 2015 3:20 pm

To my knowledge there is no one on this forum that has had the implant.. If they did have it and are still on the forum, it most likely didn't work. I think it's great that you are thinking of having it done...be sure to report back and let us know how it went.

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The Choker
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Re: Garden of Implants?

Post by The Choker » Wed Sep 02, 2015 3:58 pm

AfibApnea wrote:Insurance companies would rather not cover anything.
Silly and totally wrong. Insurance companies add things to their coverage regularly. They would like to cover "everything". But they know the premiums would be more than you would be willing and able to pay.
T.C.

AfibApnea
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Re: Garden of Implants?

Post by AfibApnea » Wed Sep 02, 2015 5:58 pm

True. But no less silly than speculating on the price of ResMed stock…or false Nigerian money opportunities.

What is it that causes people on this (the best I have found) Sleep Apnea forum, to react so negatively to alternative purported sleep apnea approaches?
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The Choker
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Re: Garden of Implants?

Post by The Choker » Wed Sep 02, 2015 6:49 pm

AfibApnea wrote:What is it that causes people on this (the best I have found) Sleep Apnea forum, to react so negatively to alternative purported sleep apnea approaches?
Good question.

Two reasons.

1. We know CPAP works very well for us and we are committed to the therapy for the remainder of our lives.

2. Those of us who have been around here some years, have seen great, new promises come and go. In the meantime a simple little blower has been faithfully helping us to be healthy and thrive.

Be careful also, many of the "promising" things that come along consider success to be a 50% reduction in AHI. For example, an untreated AHI of 60 would be considered successfully treated if it were brought down to 30. This is totally ridiculous to a CPAPer who has treated himself down to AHI of 2.0 or less. That's me.

But again, good question.
T.C.

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Re: Garden of Implants?

Post by Guest » Thu Sep 03, 2015 5:23 pm

All,

I can help clarify some of issues mentioned here.

1. CPAP non-compliance is over 50% (official studies suggest this number is 46% but doctors say is about 60%). So if you are compliant to PAP therapy, great. The likelihood is that most other patients aren't, and these people need alternative therapies, otherwise they will get worse.

2. For now, alternative therapies for moderate-severe patients who can't comply with CPAP are those ultra invasive surgeries (mandibular advancement, UVVV, etc), which most of you are not willing to try, since success rates are under 40% and they change the anatomy of your face.

3. These new sleep apnea implants (Inspire Therapy and ImThera's THN Sleep Therapy) have shown very promising results. In both companies' studies, it shows on average about 75% improvements in AHI for those patients that meet inclusion criteria. Inspire Therapy is already FDA-approved and a few insurance companies are starting to pay for it - they are certainly paving the way. ImThera Medical is approved in Europe and working its way through approval with the FDA.

4. CPAP therapy was started in the early 80s (Peter Farell / Resmed) and became mainstream only in the last 10 years. In other words, it took Resmed at least 10 years (from inception) to start marketing the product and another 10 years to become the giant that it is. So remember: when you hear about a new investigational therapy, the likelihood is it may take 10 years to be approved and another 10 to become mainstream. Considering Inspire and ImThera were started sometime between 2006-2008, we're talking about everyone knowing what it is in about a year or two. And another 5-10 years for prices to drop and become full mainstream therapy.

Just my 2-cent.

Best, sleepingpaul

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Re: Garden of Implants?

Post by sleepingpaul » Thu Sep 03, 2015 5:46 pm

AfibApnea wrote:Apparently more than one implant relating to sleep apnea is available (or being tested) in the United States, and/or the rest of the world.

Questions:
  • Is the whole "implant" approach new or has it been around for a while?
    Are each of the implant approaches essentially variations on the same theme?
    Can this post start a list of various implant approaches (complete with Internet reference)
    Has anyone had any experience with any sort of implant device related to sleep apnea?
AfibApnea,

on the previous post I forgot to answer couple of your questions.

1. Inspire and ImThera (THN Sleep Therapy) are similar in the way that they both use neurostimulation technology to keep airway open... they both stimulate the hypoglossal nerve to control the tongue while you sleep. But that's where the similarities end. Inspire's implant has an additional wire to detect your respiration and push the tip of your tongue forward before you "choke", hence keeping airway open. ImThera's implant doesn't detect your respiration pattern, it delivers mild stimulation continuously in order to maintain tongue muscle tone throughout the night, preventing the tongue to relax and block the airway.

2. Here are the video animations for both therapies.
ImThera Medical (THN Sleep Therapy - investigational device): http://imtheramedical.com/thn-sleep-therapy/
Inspire Therapy (already FDA approved): https://inspiresleep.com/inspire-therapy/how-it-works/

I think interested patients could either contact Inspire to learn about Doctors doing the procedure in your area or contact ImThera Medical to participate in the study which is free (thnstudy.com).

sleepingpaul

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Cereal Killer
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Re: Garden of Implants?

Post by Cereal Killer » Fri Sep 04, 2015 6:57 am

sleepingpaul wrote: Inspire's implant has an additional wire to detect your respiration and push the tip of your tongue forward before you "choke", hence keeping airway open. ImThera's implant doesn't detect your respiration pattern, it delivers mild stimulation continuously in order to maintain tongue muscle tone throughout the night, preventing the tongue to relax and block the airway.
The ImThera approach is simpler and sounds like it would work better.

But, I am a committed CPAPer and will wait until (and if) this becomes mainstream and is proved to be highly effective.

Good luck.

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chunkyfrog
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Re: Garden of Implants?

Post by chunkyfrog » Fri Sep 04, 2015 9:41 am

I'm waiting for it to be an EXTERNAL application, like TENS;
which would require NO SURGERY, and minimal expense.
It would be compact, transportable, use little energy, and even less maintenance.
It would leave no marks, and could be available OTC at COMPETITIVE prices.
---a frog can wish, can't I?

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Re: Garden of Implants?

Post by sleepingpaul » Tue Sep 08, 2015 12:40 pm

If it is of any help, the surgery is simple, takes only 45 minutes, and it does not affect your anatomy. Perhaps most OSA patients think of surgery like UVVV, mandibular advancement, etc, so it's an understandable concert, but this is different.

Some patients (CPAP non-compliants) have no option and at one point or another they will consider surgery as a viable alternative treatment.

AfibApnea
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Re: Garden of Implants?

Post by AfibApnea » Tue Sep 08, 2015 10:54 pm

Excuse me if I am throwing a monkey wrench into this topic.

Solutions and alternative solutions to sleep apnea typically advertise their effectiveness for obstructive conditions. (I've never encountered alternatives that address mainly central sleep apnea.)

If one is struggling with obstructive as well as central conditions:
  • 1) Can solutions designed to (or marketed to) address obstructive conditions be realistically considered to help a person with both conditions?
    2) Are there solutions designed specifically to address central conditions? (And, if there are: Can solutions designed to (or marketed to) address central conditions be realistically considered to help a person with both conditions?)
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