Athens Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine

INSPIRE THERAPY

Inspire therapy is a breakthrough implantable treatment option for people with Obstructive Sleep Apnea who are unable to use or get consistent benefit from CPAP. While you are sleeping, Inspire monitors every breath you take. Based on your unique breathing patterns, the system delivers mild stimulation to the hypoglossal nerve, which controls the movement of your tongue and other key airway muscles. By stimulating these muscles, the airway remains open during sleep.

How does Inspire Therapy work?

The Inspire system works completely inside your body with your natural breathing process to treat obstructive sleep apnea. While you are asleep, Inspire delivers mild stimulation to the hypoglossal nerve, a nerve that controls the movement of the tongue and other muscles in the airway. By stimulating the nerve, the tongue and other tissues move out of the airway so you can breathe during sleep.

Inspire therapy is controlled using the Inspire Sleep Remote. The Inspire Sleep Remote allows you to turn the therapy on and off, adjust stimulation strength, and pause stimulation during the night if needed.

How does it work?

Is Inspire Therapy right for me?

You might be a candidate for Inspire therapy if:

You have moderate to severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea
You are unable to use or get consistent benefit from CPAP
You are not significantly overweight
You are over the age of 22

An Inspire therapy-trained doctor will also evaluate your overall health status and perform a physical examination of your airway to determine if Inspire therapy might be a suitable CPAP alternative for you.

Am I a candidate?

What to expect with Inspire Therapy?

Inspire therapy works inside the body with the patient’s natural breathing process. The system is placed under the skin during a short surgical procedure, typically in an outpatient setting under general anesthesia.

Patients can return to their regular diet and most activities of daily living immediately after the procedure.

What is it like?

Denise

Denise was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea over 20 years ago. She tried everything to treat her sleep apnea: various types of masks, oral appliances, and even surgery. Nothing worked, until she tried Inspire.

Dan

Dan struggled to use his CPAP machine and eventually gave up on CPAP Therapy. Gradually, the affects of untreated sleep apnea were beginning to take a toll on many aspects of Dan's home and work life. After hearing about Inspire Therapy, Dan decided it was time to take actions.