Lima Memorial Health System is offering a new alternative treatment for patients with sleep apnea.
For those who find the traditional CPAP machine ineffective or uncomfortable, Lima Memorial now has the new Inspire therapy implant available. It is a small device placed under the skin, and the procedure typically only takes a few hours. The patient turns on the implant with a remote before bed, and the device causes contractions of the throat muscles during sleep to keep airways open. Besides being more comfortable, it is very efficient in treating sleep apnea.
"Over 90% of people report significant improvement in terms of their sleep apnea symptoms. So for many years we have not had a good option for people who have trouble with sleep apnea who really need to be treated, because untreated sleep apnea can have significant complications in terms of physical and mental health," explained Dr. Fadi Abbass, otolaryngologist.
In order to receive the Inspire therapy implant, you must have previously been using a CPAP machine and take a sleep study to see if you qualify.
