Ditch The CPAP: New Hope For Sleep Apnea

Millions struggle with sleep apnea, a condition where your airway collapses during sleep, causing disrupted sleep and a cascade of health problems like heart disease, stroke, and even injuries from vehicle accidents.

If you're one of the millions struggling with sleep apnea, but the thought of that CPAP mask sends shivers down your spine, there's good news. A new sleep apnea treatment called Inspire offers a mask-free solution to more restful sleep.

Say Goodbye To CPAP Frustration

Treatment for obstructive sleep apnea focuses on the underlying cause and can include treatment of underlying anxiety, medical management of nasal and sinus complaints, use of an oral appliance called a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, or surgery. Surgeries are directed at opening the part of the upper airway causing collapse and might include throat surgery such as a tonsillectomy, nasal surgery to improve breathing and now one of the newest sleep apnea treatments, the Inspire implant.

“Inspire represents a significant advancement in treating sleep apnea,” said Paul Wilson, MD, Franciscan Physician Network otolaryngologist – head and neck surgeon in Lafayette, Indiana.

Lori Eubank of Lafayette had battled sleep apnea for many years and had undergone sleep studies and surgery, but she couldn’t find success with a CPAP machine despite multiple trials.

A volunteer at Franciscan Health Lafayette East in Spiritual Care Services, Lori was the first patient to receive the Inspire procedure at the Lafayette hospital. Inspire is an FDA-approved implantable device that gently stimulates the nerves controlling your airway during sleep. This gentle nudge keeps your airway open, allowing you to breathe freely and get restful sleep.

After seeing television commercials for Inspire, Lori approached her ENT doctor, Peter Hillsamer, MD, and asked if she might be a candidate for this new sleep apnea treatment. After another sleep study and talking with her cardiologist and Dr. Wilson, Lori learned she was a candidate to try the Inspire implant for her sleep apnea. After a successful Inspire procedure, her sleep apnea numbers have been cut in half, meaning she’s waking less each hour and sleeping better overall.

“I love the freedom and flexibility that Inspire offers,” Lori said. “It’s a journey. It takes time and some tweaking to find the balance. I’ve had wonderful help and support from the doctors and Inspire team. I think I can say that Inspire does work.”

Inspire A Mask-Free Treatment Option

If you have moderate to severe sleep apnea and haven't found success with CPAP, Inspire may be the mask-free sleep apnea treatment option you've been waiting for. However, it's important to discuss your individual situation with a doctor to determine if you're a good candidate for Inspire.

There are several criteria to determine if a patient is a good candidate for the Inspire implant including:

• BMI
• How severe your sleep apnea is
• Failure of CPAP in treating sleep apnea
• Passing a screening procedure.

This screening procedure is called a Drug Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) and evaluates the upper airway to ensure the patient has a pattern of collapse that would be treated by the implant.

How Inspire Helps Sleep Apnea

Inspire works inside the body with a patient’s natural breathing process to treat sleep apnea. Mild stimulation opens the airway during sleep, allowing oxygen to flow naturally. The patient uses a small handheld remote to turn Inspire on before bed and off when they wake up.

The Inspire system is implanted during a short, outpatient procedure. The system is placed under the skin of the neck and chest through two small incisions. Most patients return home the same day and take over-the-counter pain medications to manage pain as needed.

The safety of Inspire was evaluated during the five-year STAR clinical trial. The study showed patients using Inspire experienced significant reductions in sleep apnea events and significant improvements in quality-of-life measures. There have been more than 150 peer-reviewed publications on Inspire. These publications show results consistent with those seen in the STAR trial.

“Inspire represents a significant advancement in treating sleep apnea,” said Dr. Wilson. “It is clinically proven to reduce sleep apnea events, has a high level of patient satisfaction and a high therapy adherence. The Inspire implant provides an additional tool to provide benefit to patients, and we are excited to make it available to our community.”