Millions of Americans suffer from sleep apnea, and many go undiagnosed or don’t seek treatment.
For those who do, a CPAP machine has been a solution for many since the 1980s.
In today’s Health Matters with TSET, Amy Slanchik tells how some patients are getting relief in another way.
“I was passing out in my sleep.”
A peaceful night’s sleep is the norm for Deborah Sullivan.
“I pretty much sleep all night. Unless, you know, if a storm wakes me up, obviously,” she said.
But a few years ago, Deborah would stop breathing in her sleep, and was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea.
“I was passing out in my sleep,” she said. “So what it was, is I had such low oxygen level that I would just go out and my husband would wake up and try to wake me up and panic.”
“Obstructive sleep apnea is where you actually stop breathing for at least 10 seconds. In some people, normal is 0 to 5 times an hour, 5 to 15 times an hour is mild, 15 to 30 times an hour is going to be moderate. And some people are 30 plus, an hour,” Dr. Jean-Maria Langley, who is a surgeon at Hillcrest HealthCare System, said.
When CPAP isn’t a solution
Deborah said a CPAP wasn’t a solution for her; she would take it off in the middle of the night.
So, she turned to Dr. Langley who implanted a nerve stimulator, known as “Inspire,” near Deborah’s right collarbone.
“This is a hypoglossal nerve stimulator. And what that means is the nerve that controls the tongue. We have two of them, one on each side. I’m only addressing the one, and that’s fine. You don’t need both addressed,” Dr. Langley said. We gently give pulses to that nerve that causes the tongue to firm out of the airway. So it’s not obstructing. It’s not sucking back and blocking the airway.”
The technology is controlled by the patient with a remote.
“It’s been really a Godsend to have this available to, to my patients,” Dr. Langley said.
“I didn’t have any problems last night”
“They handed me my remote, and I walked out, and we went on a three-week vacation,” Deborah said.
Deborah and her husband, Duane, spent those days in Tennessee and noticed a difference in her sleep right away.
“It was great. I was like, whoa. I didn’t have any problems last night,” Deborah said.
Lifestyle and Sleep Apnea
Left untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure, heart problems and cognitive decline
Inpsire has been the solution for many with sleep apnea.
But Dr. Langley said lifestyle factors play a role, too.
“If someone were to lose about 10% of their body weight, they could potentially decrease their apnea by about 24%. So weight does play a big role,” Dr. Langley said. “You know, and other things also play a factor. Do you have indigestion? Do you have good sleep hygiene? Did you have a heavy meal or did you drink alcohol that night?”
For Deborah, her days look different now, because she wakes up well rested.
“I generally wake up before the alarm goes off, if I have one set. And I’m ready to get up,” Deborah said.
Dr. Langley said she has performed nearly 300 Inspire surgeries since 2019, with great results for patients.
“Get them out there, get them walking. Get that energy. Get that vigor back to life,” she said.
Patients can only qualify for Inspire if a CPAP doesn’t work for them, and if they have moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea.
