Are You an Inspire Candidate?
Inspire upper airway stimulation can be an alternative sleep apnea treatment. To be a candidate, you must meet the following criteria:
- You are unable to use or get consistent benefits from CPAP
- Are free of total blockage in the area behind the roof of the mouth (soft palate)
- Have a body mass index (BMI) of 37 or less
- Have moderate to severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- You’re age 18 or above
To determine if this sleep apnea treatment is right for you, complete the following steps:
- Schedule an initial clinic visit at the Firelands Center for Sleep Disorders for a general physical examination with David Morris, M.D., sleep medicine specialist.
- Complete a sleep study through Firelands Sleep Disorders Center. The most recent sleep study must be done within the last two years and show moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea.
- Have a surgical consultation after referral to a NOMS ENT physician.
- Undergo a sleep-induced airway exam so the Inspire Therapy surgeon can check your airway anatomy. The exam will help your doctor determine if your airway blockage meets Inspire Therapy criteria.
If you are a candidate for this sleep apnea treatment, you’ll undergo the outpatient procedure at Firelands Hospital with a NOMS ENT physician. During the minimally invasive procedure, the Inspire system is placed under the skin of the neck and chest through small incisions. Some pain and swelling can be expected at the incision sites for a few days after the procedure; however, you can return to normal activities within two weeks, under the direction of a physician.
Three to four weeks after the implantation, you’ll return to Firelands Sleep Disorders Center to activate the device. This is when the doctor will turn on the system for the first time and walk you through your personal therapy settings and how to use the device. You’ll follow up with the sleep physician 6-8 weeks after activation to review adjustments and to ensure snoring, daytime sleepiness, and other sleep apnea symptoms have not returned. Within the first six months of Inspire Therapy treatment, you will complete a sleep study to verify that device settings are appropriately treating your sleep apnea. Once device settings are at a comfortable level and provide relief of sleep apnea symptoms, you’ll follow up with the Firelands sleep physician on an annual basis.
