Sleep Apnea And Upper Airway Stimulation Therapy

[john999]

There is a new FDA approved treatment for OSA. It is called "Upper Airway Stimulation ". A device is implanted in your chest that connects to your throat. It senses when your airway is blocked and send electric stimulation to open your airway. The company that created it is Inspire Medical Systems. My problem with them is that the closest doctor who will do the procedure is in Pittsburgh, PA and I live in Florida. This may mean many trips at my expense to get the thing implanted and follow-up if needed. I would have to fly to Pitt. just to be evaluated for the treatment. It is for those who have failed with the CPAP or Bi-Pap. I have failed for sure. I am thinking about this option. If you want to talk to them the number is 800-230-9807. I talked to them an no pressure.

John

[Vync]

Hi John,

That sounds promising, but doesn't sound like much fun to get it implanted.

A while back I visited an ENT doctor here in town and they had a poster on the wall for the 'pillar procedure'. Basically, they insert some small semi-rigid strips into the soft palate.

http://www.medtronic.com/for-healthcare-professionals/products-therapies/ear-nose-throat/sleep-disordered-breathing-products/pillar-procedure-system-for-snoring-and-sleep-apnea

This might be an option for you and it seems a lot less invasive. My doc here in Birmingham offers it, so hopefully it might be available there in Florida. Not sure if they work because I didn't get them, but I am considering having it done. If you can't find a doc near Tampa, PM me and I will send you the name of my doc here in Birmingham.

Regardless of which option you choose, please let me know the results. I have a problem keeping the blasted CPAP mask on my face when I sleep, so I don't get as much benefit from it as I should.

[john999]

Ok, I will let you know next week. I have an exploratory procedure to see if the OSA pacemaker can help me. I read that 50% of those who get success from CPAP in lab conditions stop using it within a year. Mine did not even do a good job in the lab. They woke me up four times to adjust my mask. What kind of sleep is that? What I don't want is for some ENT to cut tissue out of my throat or shave my tongue. My OSA doctor says that most of those people end up back in CPAP. I believe since OSA affects so many Americans the medical profession will come up with better and less invasive treatments if I can last that long?

John

[Pete53]

John

I would want to see some kind of track record before I tried surgery. A VA Doc wanted to put a device in my wind pipe that I would cover when I was awake and like a snorkle would attach a stainless steel device when I went to bed.

I passed on it and glad that I did