Treating Sleep Apnea

Inspire Therapy is an obstructive sleep apnea treatment option for patients who cannot use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. GOOD SAMARITAN MEDICAL CENTER / COURTESY PHOTO

Good Samaritan Medical Center is now the only hospital in northern Palm Beach County offering Inspire Therapy, an obstructive sleep apnea treatment option for those who cannot use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.

“Our hospital sees many patients who have stopped using or are unable to tolerate CPAP,” says Good Samaritan Medical Center CEO Sheri Montgomery. “Inspire represents a significant advancement in treating sleep apnea. It is clinically proven to reduce sleep apnea events, has a high level of patient satisfaction, and a high therapy adherence.”

The first procedure was completed by surgeon Dr. Anastasiya Quimby, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon with special fellowship training in head and neck oncology and microvascular reconstruction.

Inspire works inside the body with a patient’s natural breathing process to treat sleep apnea. Mild stimulation opens the airway during sleep, allowing oxygen to flow naturally. The patient uses a small handheld remote to turn Inspire on and off.

QUIMBY

Obstructive sleep apnea affects 22 million Americans. When left untreated, it can cause stroke, heart attack, and even death.

It occurs when the airway collapses during sleep and blocks oxygen flow 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.

A five-year clinical trial showed patients using Inspire experienced significant reductions in sleep apnea events and significant improvements in quality of-life measures.

The post Treating Sleep Apnea first appeared on Palm Beach Florida Weekly .