Individuals with obstructive sleep apnea who received little benefit from continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or other treatment options may now undergo a procedure at Princeton Medical Center (PMC) offering improved quality of life and health outcomes.
PMC is one of only a few hospitals in New Jersey offering the procedure, known as Inspire therapy. The procedure involves surgically implanting a device and related components that work to sense breathing patterns and deliver mild stimulation to maintain an open airway and promote regular breathing.
“For a select group of patients, the procedure can provide a better quality of life and long-term relief from their obstructive sleep apnea symptoms,” said Robert Mignone, DO, a board certified otolaryngologist who serves as medical director of the sleep surgical program at PMC. “Some patients do not tolerate CPAP and are unable to benefit from other treatment methods. Inspire provides an effective option that is less invasive than traditional surgical procedures.”
Candidates for the procedure are:
- Diagnosed with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea.
- Unable to use a CPAP or derive a consistent benefit from it.
- Age 23 and older.
- Not significantly overweight. (BMI of 32 or less)
Obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially serious disorder in which an obstructed airway causes sleep interruptions known as apnea—complete breathing stoppage of 10 seconds or more—and periods of slow, shallow breathing called hypopnea.
Approximately 1 in 5 adults show mild symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, while 1 in 15 experience moderate to severe symptoms, according to estimates published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Symptoms may include loud snoring, restless sleep, insomnia, waking up several times a night to urinate, awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat and morning headaches. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious health complications, such as heart disease and depression, and result in drowsiness, increasing the risk of accidents while driving or working.
Sleep apnea is most common among individuals 50 and older, but it can affect people of all ages. Additional risk factors include:
- Sleeping on one’s back
- Obesity or recent weight gain
- Chronic sinusitis
- Large neck circumference
- Menopause
- Large tonsils or adenoids
- Down syndrome
- Smoking
- Family history
- Recessed chin or large overbite
After an individual is diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, his or her treatment might begin with lifestyle changes, such as alcohol and smoking cessation, weight loss and side sleeping.
A CPAP machine is a commonly used and effective treatment option for many, but some individuals are unable to use one or receive any consistent benefit from it.
Inspire therapy was approved by the FDA in 2014, following clinical trials that began in 2010 at 22 medical centers in the United States and Europe. The trials determined that the procedure reduced daytime sleepiness, improved daytime functioning and resulted in soft or no snoring for most individuals. The research also showed a 79 percent decrease in apnea or hypopnea events during sleep.
The new procedure is part of the comprehensive care for sleep disorders available through PMC’s Sleep Center, which is fully accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, a professional organization dedicated to assuring quality care for patients with sleep disorders, advancement of research and public and professional education.
Learn more at Princetonhcs.org/SleepCenter.