Inspire Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Inspire is a minimally invasive surgical treatment option available to certain patients. If you or a loved one is not responding well to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), Inspire therapy may be an option.

The teams at Bronson Sleep Health Specialists and Bronson Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery Specialists work together with representatives from Inspire to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients with OSA. A shared web-based application called SleepSync tracks each patient’s progress through the entire process.

What is Inspire?

It involves surgically implanting a hypoglossal nerve stimulator under the skin of the chest and neck. This includes a small device the size of a pacemaker, a stimulation lead and a sensor to monitor breathing patterns during sleep. It works by sensing inhalation and delivering voltage to the hypoglossal nerve to help keep the upper airway open during sleep.

Inspire was FDA approved in 2014 and is the only FDA-approved obstructive sleep apnea treatment that works from within the body and is controlled by a remote.

Who is Inspire Therapy for?

Inspire is an alternative treatment for those who cannot or will not use CPAP or other proven methods such as a mouthpiece. In addition, candidates for Inspire therapy need to be:

• At or below a body mass index of 32-35kg/m3 depending on the patient’s insurance carrier.
• 18 years old or older.
• Diagnosed with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea.
• Free of concentric collapse of the upper airway determined during a drug-induced sleep endoscopy performed by the implanting Ear Nost and Throat (ENT) surgeon prior to surgery.

What to Expect with Inspire Therapy

Initial Consultation with a Sleep Health Specialist: Your sleep provider will review your medical history and discuss any symptoms or past testing/treatments related to sleep apnea. A sleep study may be done and your ENT surgeon will do a Drug-Induced Sleep
Endoscopy (DISE) by using a small camera in the nostrils to see the collapsible portions of your upper airway. This will help the surgeon and your sleep specialist determine if Inspire therapy is a good option for you.

The Surgery: Those who qualify for Inspire therapy will undergo an outpatient surgery lasting approximately three hours to implant the device under the skin in the chest. A second small incision is made in the neck where the stimulation cuff is attached to the hypoglossal nerve. The device is turned off until recovery is complete − usually four to six weeks.

Post-recovery: Once the device is activated, it can be easily turned on and off with a remote. Your sleep specialist will work with you to gradually increase the voltage until it reaches a therapeutic level. A follow-up sleep study is then done to fine-tune the device settings to ensure you are achieving optimal results.

Ongoing Monitoring: Once a year, a follow-up visit is required with a sleep health specialist. An at-home sleep study may also be needed periodically to ensure that your OSA is under control.

Steven Szeles, MD

Inspire Therapy at Bronson

Bronson’s sleep specialists and otolaryngologists are highly experienced at providing Inspire therapy as a treatment for OSA. Otolaryngologist Dr. Steven Szeles has been at the forefront of this groundbreaking technology, having participated in Inspire clinical trials from 2011 to 2012. His involvement in its development helped mark a major milestone in the field of sleep health.

Sleep specialists Dr. Philip Mataverde and Dr. Zachary Richens are certified to provide management of Inspire therapy.