Temple now offers a new treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) for patients who cannot tolerate continuous positive air pressure (CPAP). The FDA-approved Inspire® system is an implantable device that keeps a patient’s airway open while they sleep.
Patients with obstructive sleep apnea briefly stop breathing while they’re asleep, often many times per night. Normally, when people sleep, the muscles of their throats relax but their airways remain open. However, the airway becomes blocked in patients with obstructive sleep apnea, and their breathing briefly stops. The constant cycle of loss of air, waking to resume breathing, and sleeping again, often leads to poor rest and daytime drowsiness.
How Does Upper Airway Stimulation Work?
With Inspire®, the device monitors every breath you take while you’re asleep. Based on your breathing patterns, the system delivers mild stimulation to the nerve that controls key airway muscles. By stimulating these muscles, your airway stays open while you sleep.
The Inspire® obstructive sleep apnea device is operated by a small handheld sleep remote. The remote lets you turn Inspire therapy on before bed and off when you wake up, increase and decrease stimulation strength, and pause during the night if needed.
Learn what to expect with the Inspire® system >
Am I a Candidate for Inspire®?
You might be a candidate if:
- You have moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea
- You can’t use or can’t get consistent benefit from CPAP
- You’re not significantly overweight
- You’re over the age of 22
Having a pacemaker does not automatically disqualify you from becoming a candidate for Inspire therapy
A Temple doctor who has been trained in Inspire® therapy will evaluate your overall health status (including heart health) and perform a physical examination of your airway to decide if Inspire therapy might be a good option for you.
Ready for an Appointment?
Request an appointment or call 800-TEMPLE-MED (800-836-7536) today.
