TREATING OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA WITH INSPIRE THERAPY IN RICHMOND, VA
Pulmonary Associates of Richmond provides expert evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA occurs when the muscles in the throat relax, partially blocking the airway during sleep. This causes a reduction in oxygen levels in the blood, and may result in loud snoring, waking up gasping for air, or daytime sleepiness.
Among the treatments for OSA are Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), which requires patients to wear a mask during sleep. Pulmonary Associates of Richmond is an area leader in offering Inspire therapy, a mask-free treatment that delivers gentle pulses to the airway muscles to keep the airway open allowing OSA patients to breathe regularly and sleep soundly.
Inspire therapy is the first FDA-approved obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) therapy that works comfortably1 inside your body. The small Inspire implant is placed near your collarbone during an approximately 90-minute outpatient procedure. After the procedure, most people require nothing more than over-the-counter pain medication, and within a few days, can resume non-strenuous activities.
HOW INSPIRE WORKS
Inspire TherapyTM is the only FDA-approved OSA treatment that works comfortably inside the body.
- During sleep, the airway muscles and tongue relax. For people with OSA, the tongue relaxes into a position that blocks the airway.
- When the airway is blocked the brain gets less oxygen, causing the person to wake up gasping for breath. This may happen repeatedly throughout the night, preventing quality sleep.
- The InspireTM implant delivers gentle pulses that move the tongue out of the way each time a person takes a breath, keeping the airway open during sleep. No mask or hose are needed.
IS INSPIRE RIGHT FOR YOU?
InspireTM therapy may be right for you if you are:
- Age 18 or over
- Diagnosed with moderate to severe OSA
- Unable to use or benefit from CPAP
- Body Mass Index (BMI) less than 40
Many insurance plans including Medicare, Veterans Affairs (VA) and major commercial carriers cover Inspire therapy for those who have tried and been unsuccessful with CPAP. Insurance carriers may have different BMI requirements.
IS INSPIRE EFFECTIVE?
Inspire has been shown to be safe and effective in treating OSA. Recent studies show that:
- 90% of bed partners reported little or no snoring
- 91% of patients are satisfied with Inspire therapy
- Patients had a 79% reduction in sleep apnea events
- 94% of patients say Inspire therapy is better than CPAP and would recommend it to others
MEET OUR INSPIRE THERAPY SPECIALIST
Michael Polsky, MD, is a sleep medicine specialist who has treated more than 200 patients with Inspire therapy, earning him a spot as part of the Inspire Excellence Program. Dr. Polsky has been with Pulmonary Associates of Richmond since 2007. He is board-certified in internal medicine, pulmonary disease, sleep medicine and critical care medicine.