WHEELING – Wheeling Hospital is offering a breakthrough obstructive sleep apnea treatment option for those who cannot use Continuous Positive Airway Pressure therapy.
The treatment, Inspire’s upper airway stimulation therapy, is being performed by Drs. Christopher and Jeremy Tiu, who are ear, nose and throat specialists.
Obstructive sleep apnea affects 18 million Americans. When left untreated, it can cause vehicle and workplace accidents, worsening mood and memory, stroke, heart attack and even death.
It occurs when the airway collapses during sleep and blocks the flow of oxygen to the brain. The brain senses a lack of oxygen and wakes the body up just long enough to take a breath, then falls back asleep. This cycle repeats throughout the night and causes poor, disruptive sleep.
Inspire therapy works inside the body with a patient’s natural breathing process to treat sleep apnea. Mild stimulation keeps the airway open 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. Eliminated is the need for a mask or hose.
The safety and efficacy of Inspire therapy was measured during the STAR clinical trial. One-year STAR trial results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showing patients using Inspire therapy had significant reductions in sleep apnea events and significant improvements in quality of life measures. These significant reductions and improvements were sustained over a five-year follow-up period.
“In our practice we see many patients who have stopped using or are unable to tolerate CPAP,” Dr. Christopher Tiu said. “Inspire therapy represents a significant advancement in treating sleep apnea. It is clinically proven to reduce sleep apnea events and also has a high level of patient satisfaction and therapy adherence. We are excited to now offer this promising therapy to sleep apnea patients who struggle with CPAP.”