Do you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) but struggle with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy? Inspire therapy is an alternative treatment option that works inside your body with your natural breathing process to treat sleep apnea. No mask, no hose, just sleep.
What is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)?
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder in which your breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. OSA, which affects 22 million Americans, occurs when soft tissues in your airway collapse during sleep, blocking the flow of oxygen to your brain.
OSA can cause excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue, memory loss and lack of concentration. When left untreated, OSA can cause vehicle and workplace accidents, worsening mood and memory, stroke and heart attack.
Do I qualify for Inspire therapy?
Inspire therapy, which has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), delivers mild stimulation to key airway muscles, allowing your airway to open during sleep.
Inspire may be right for you if you meet the following criteria:
- You have been diagnosed with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, specifically an apnea-hypopnea index (the number of times you stop breathing each hour while sleeping) between 15 and 65.
- You are unable to use or get consistent benefit from CPAP.
- You are not significantly overweight.
- You are age 18 or above.
What should I expect during my initial appointment?
At your initial appointment, you can talk with your healthcare provider about your experience with sleep apnea and CPAP. Use this time to ask your provider any questions you may have.
Your provider will look at your sleep study and, if needed, assist in getting an updated study. For insurance purposes, most sleep studies need to have been performed in the last 2 years.
Sleep studies can be scheduled Mondays through Fridays by your provider’s referral at the Phelps Health Sleep Center.
If your provider determines you’re a good candidate for Inspire, you will schedule an airway exam. In this routine exam, which takes about 20 minutes, your provider will look inside your airway with a small camera.
How does Inspire therapy work?
During the procedure, an Inspire implant is placed under the skin of your neck and chest through two or three small incisions during an outpatient procedure.
Most patients return home the same day and return to nonstrenuous activities within a few days. Over-the-counter pain medicine is typically used for a couple of days after the procedure for pain management.
About a month after the procedure, Inspire will be turned on during an office visit with your healthcare team. You will be given a small handheld remote to turn the device on before bed and off when you wake up.
