NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Obstructive sleep apnea is a medical condition that causes the upper airway to collapse during sleep – in fact, 40,000 die from it each year. Breathing stops, or slows, so patients use a bulky and noisy CPAP machine for relief. Now there is a slimmer, and more natural alternative.
“Sleep apnea is also related to body weight. As body weight goes up, the throat gets increasingly collapsible at night, and it can become so collapsible that nothing else will help to keep it open besides a CPAP machine or significant weight loss,” explains Director of Sleep Surgery at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, David Kent, MD.
Some apnea sufferers are at normal weight, but dislike claustrophobic CPAPs attached to long, bulky hoses. Now there is new hope in an implanted device called the Genio that stimulates the nerves that help with breathing.
Dr. Kent further explains, “We’re actually providing a gentle pulse to the tongue nerves while a patient is asleep overnight to open up the airway by moving the tongue forward to unblock the airway to keep their throat from blocking up and to help, potentially, keep them from snoring as well.”
A single incision under the chin is made, the Genio is implanted inside and is activated by the patient before bed, allowing them to get a good night’s rest.
There’s no implanted power source, so there’s no battery changes down the road in the future. The genio is being clinically trialed at vanderbilt university and researchers believe it will be available for the public in 12 to 18 months.
Contributors to this news report include: Donna Parker, Producer; Roque Correa, Videographer & Editor.
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MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
RESEARCH SUMMARY
TOPIC: GENIO STOPS THE SLEEP APNEA SNORE
REPORT: MB #5281
BACKGROUND: Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep. These interruptions, called apneas, can range from brief pauses in breathing to extended periods of reduced airflow. Sleep apnea can have significant health consequences and impact a person’s overall well-being. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most prevalent form of sleep apnea. It occurs when the muscles at the back of the throat relax excessively, causing a blockage of the airway during sleep. This blockage leads to snoring and pauses in breathing. Anyone can develop obstructive sleep apnea, but several factors can put you at an increased risk such as excess weight, older age, narrowed airway, and high blood pressure. Obstructive sleep apnea affects as much as 30 percent of adults in the United States, and it has been found that around 85 percent of individuals with sleep apnea are unaware that they have it.
(Sources: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-apnea
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obstructive-sleep-apnea/symptoms-causes/syc-20352090
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-apnea)
DIAGNOSING: Diagnosing sleep apnea involves a comprehensive evaluation of an individual’s sleep patterns, symptoms, medical history, and, in some cases, specialized tests. Proper diagnosis is crucial because sleep apnea can have significant health consequences and affect one’s overall well-being. Sleep apnea can be diagnosed by a sleep study or an at-home sleep apnea test. Frequent symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea can include excessive daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, headaches in the morning, dry mouth upon waking, restless sleep with periods of wakefulness, increased need to get up and urinate, irritability, frustration, and reduced focus.
(Source: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-apnea)
NEW TECHNOLOGY: The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends a new clinical practice guideline for adults experiencing obstructive sleep apnea in the United States. Surgical treatment can be an option for patients struggling with CPAP therapy and other patients with certain anatomic features. The guideline provides recommendations for specific surgical procedures. Their study showed that surgery for obstructive sleep apnea resulted in a clinically significant reduction in excessive sleepiness, snoring, blood pressure, and various measures of sleep apnea severity. Their results lead to increased quality of life in patients.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT:
Craig Boerner
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