New procedure for Sleep Apnea

[kentoboo]

Have any of you people heard or know anything about the Inspire Upper Airway Stimulation? Supposedly there are clinical studies going on with it. My understanding is an implanted stimulator is used to stimulate the base of the tongue, opening up the airway by contracting the muscle. It is called STAR (stimulating Therapy for Apnea Reduction)???

[kentoboo]

Here is what I read about it. Any comments??


Using well-established technologies from the fields of cardiac pacing and neurostimulation, Inspire Medical Systems has developed a system specifically to help those who are plagued by that troublesome tongue. The Upper Airway Stimulation (UAS) therapy designed by Inspire Medical Systems stimulates the nerve that controls the base of the tongue with a small electrical pulse during sleep, to keep it toned and in place.

A pacemaker-like device is implanted under the skin, near the collarbone, and a wire is fed to the problematic twelfth cranial nerve. A sensor detects when the sufferer takes a breath and instructs the implant to stimulate the nerve.


The system is adjusted so that the tongue receives just enough current to keep it from blocking the airway but not enough to disturb sleep (or result in any rude mid-snooze gestures) and a remote allows the patient to activate and deactivate the system. A timer can also be set so that the zapping is delayed until after the user is asleep.

Inspire Medical Systems' hypoglossal nerve stimulation technology has just recently been given the all-clear for Stimulation Therapy for Apnea Reduction pivotal clinical trials by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and will soon be heading to key sites throughout the U.S. and Europe.


However, sufferers reading this might like to note that only those who tick all of the right boxes will be accepted into the trial, so cases where some other tissue causes the problem will not make it through. The results of the study will form the basis of a pre-market approval application to the FDA.

[Slartybartfast]

Sounds like a high-tech solution to a low-tech problem.

[LSAT]

I'll stick to my CPAP therapy thank you.

[Bodhi]

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[kentoboo]

People, I realize this might not be the best site for this news but if this thing would work, it sure would beat a mask wrapped around your face all night! (not to mention all the associated stuff you have to do with cpap)

[Slartybartfast]

People, I realize this might not be the best site for this news but if this thing would work, it sure would beat a mask wrapped around your face all night! (not to mention all the associated stuff you have to do with cpap)

Easy there! No offense met. Just that what you're describing is a rather invasive and, so far at least, unproven treatment.

[Bodhi]

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[xenablue]

Not sure I like the idea of wires and thingies implanted under my skin. Yes, the XPAP and associated gear is somewhat clumsy, but I prefer something I can remove from my body every morning. I'll stick with the mask.

Cheers,
xena

[Hosehead4ever]

Going to second Xena's opinion about being able to remove the mask every morning. I'd rather take things out than put things in, as far as surgeries and things.

[kentoboo]

Well, I too don't really like the implant part but I am sure it would be very similar to a pacemaker. The people I know with pacemakers seem to have very few problems. I bet there is not one person on this site that would not love to chuck all this cpap stuff if this turns out to really be a viable alternative!

[roster]

New procedure for Sleep Apnea

Plenty of discussion in this old thread: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=39245&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Interim results of the study are clinically significant and very encouraging for short-term data. The interim data indicates that AHI has been reduced by an average of 73% and ODI has improved by an average of 77%. On average, arousals have been reduced by 50%.

.... "ImThera's mission is to provide a safe and effective alternative for OSA patients that will not or cannot comply with CPAP," said Marcelo G. Lima, Chairman, President and CEO of ImThera Medical.