Chest Implant for Sleep Apnea

Jun-14-16 A new chest implant from Inspire stimulates the tongue to provide a treatment alternative for patients with sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in a person’s throat relax so much that it obstructs their breathing. While this is commonly treated with CPAP machines, the devices may not be adequate in some cases. With that in mind, the team from Inspire created their system, which consists of a small chest implant, a lead located under the chin to stimulate the hypoglossal nerve (which controls tongue motion) and one that monitors breathing. When the patient’s breathing is interrupted, the system will send a pulse to stimulate the nerve and enlarge the airway.

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[GIZMAG.COM]
[UPHS.UPENN.EDU]

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