Inspire® Upper Airway Stimulation

At our center, the success rate is 80-90%, which means that most patients achieve significant improvement in their sleep apnea with treatment.

The device is covered by most health insurance plans for patients meeting the criteria.

Implantation of the device is done under general anesthesia and takes about 1 - 1.5 hours. Patients go home on the day of surgery. The device is placed through two incisions: one in the right upper neck and one in the right upper chest. Each incision is about 2.5 inches long. The stitches used dissolve on their own.

Patients report mild to moderate pain, often around the neck and chest. The pain is usually controlled with acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil) and resolves in several days. We suggest reducing your activity level for one week after surgery. This includes avoiding things that raise your heart rate, lifting anything over 5 lbs, and any other activity that makes your surgical area sore.

Yes. The neck scar and surrounding swelling often appear bumpy. This will gradually go away.

The Inspire device feels like an involuntary muscle contraction at the back of the tongue and under the chin. There is no sharp pain, "zapping," or burning. After getting used to the treatment, most people are not woken up by the Inspire device.

Yes. You will receive device ID cards that must be taken with you to all airport and other security checks and shown to the security staff.