Sarah P. Powell, MD
Otolaryngologist
Inspire® Therapy
Introducing Inspire® Sleep Apnea Therapy
Orange City Area Health System is proud to now offer Inspire®, a minimally invasive, implantable therapy designed to help people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who cannot tolerate traditional PAP (positive airway pressure) treatment.
What is Inspire® Therapy?
Inspire therapy is a mask-free1 solution for people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who have tried and struggled with CPAP. Through a simple-to-use system including the Inspire® implant, Inspire™ remote and Inspire® app, Inspire therapy enables you to control your OSA treatment from the palm of your hand.
The Inspire® implant
The Inspire implant keeps your airway open while you sleep, so you can breathe regularly and sleep soundly.
The Inspire™ remote
The Inspire remote simply turns on your therapy when you’re ready to sleep. No mask or hose required.
The Inspire® app
The Inspire app tracks your sleep goals and allows you to share data directly with your doctor.
How does Inspire® Therapy work?
During sleep, your tongue relaxes. For people with OSA, your tongue relaxes into a position that blocks your airway. While other OSA therapies use a hose and mask to force air through your airway, the Inspire implant works comfortably2 inside your body to sense when you take a breath. Then, it delivers gentle pulses that move your tongue forward to keep your airway open, helping you breathe regularly and sleep soundly. Simply use the small handheld Inspire® remote to turn your therapy on when you’re ready to sleep
Frequently Asked Questions
You may be a candidate for upper airway stimulation therapy if the following statements are true:
- You are at least 18 years old
- You have a body mass index (BMI) of less than 35
- You have been diagnosed with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea
- You have struggled with or not benefitted from CPAP therapy
- You do not have medical conditions that would make any surgery risky
- Inspire Sleep Therapy significantly reduces the severe effects of OSA.
- The procedure is minimally invasive, and most people can return to their homes the same day.
- There is minimal downtime with the procedure as patients can return to non-strenuous activities within a few days.
- The procedure is covered by most insurance companies, including Medicare and veterans benefits.
- Those who have had the procedure report a significant reduction in daytime sleepiness and snoring.
- The procedure is FDA-approved, safe, and effective.
Implantation is done under general anesthesia during an outpatient procedure.
The device is placed via three small incisions (neck and chest).
Most patients recover within a couple of weeks and begin using the system soon after.
Follow-up appointments allow for fine-tuning of stimulation settings to optimize comfort and effectiveness.
OCAHS Inspire® Team
Maria Azpeitia, NP-C
Neurology | Sleep Medicine
James Case, MD
Neurology | Sleep Medicine
Mei He, MD
Neurology | Sleep Medicine
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