Hypoglossal nerve stimulation implant for sleep apnea
If you’re one of the millions struggling with obstructive sleep apnea and haven’t found relief with traditional treatments like CPAP, there’s a new solution gaining attention: hypoglossal nerve stimulation.
This innovative implant for sleep apnea works by activating the muscles that keep your airway open while you sleep—helping you breathe easier and sleep better without a mask or machine.
Keep reading to discover how this advanced sleep apnea implant can help improve your sleep and quality of life.
What is hypoglossal nerve stimulation?
Hypoglossal nerve stimulation is an FDA-approved medical treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). It involves using a small implant to stimulate the hypoglossal nerve, which controls tongue movement.
This treatment keeps your airway open by gently stimulating the nerve during sleep, significantly reducing apnea episodes. It’s especially helpful for patients who cannot tolerate CPAP or similar treatments.
How does hypoglossal nerve stimulation help with sleep apnea?
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) happens when the muscles in the throat and mouth relax excessively during sleep, causing the tongue to fall back and block the airway. This can lead to snoring, gasping, choking, and poor sleep.
Hypoglossal nerve stimulation is a treatment that helps keep the airway open. A small device sends gentle electrical pulses to the hypoglossal nerve—a nerve under the tongue.
These pulses make the tongue move slightly forward with each breath, preventing it from blocking the airway. This helps you breathe normally during sleep and reduces snoring and nighttime awakenings, assisting patients in sleeping better and feeling more refreshed during the day.
Different parts of the hypoglossal nerve stimulator
The hypoglossal nerve stimulator has a few small parts that work together to help you breathe better during sleep:
- A pulse generator, which is external and is placed every night with a skin patch.
- An electrode device underneath the skin in the chin in contact with both hypoglossal nerves. When it receives the pulse, it gently moves your tongue forward so your airway stays open and you can breathe easily during sleep.
This sleep apnea implant is operated using a a special app on your smartphone which allows you to turn the device on and off. It also has a delay setting, so the stimulator starts working after you’ve fallen asleep.
Who might benefit from a hypoglossal nerve stimulator?
The hypoglossal nerve stimulation is approved for certain people with moderate to severe OSA. It’s usually considered for those who:
- Have an AHI score (Apnea-Hypopnea Index) between 15 and 65, indicating moderate to severe sleep apnea. The AHI reflects how many times per hour breathing is interrupted due to partial or complete airway obstruction.
- Cannot use or tolerate CPAP or other breathing machines.
- Have a BMI of 35 or less.
- Are not pregnant or planning pregnancy
Patients should also undergo a sleep endoscopy to check if their airway anatomy is compatible with the device.
What to expect during hypoglossal nerve stimulation?
Hypoglossal nerve stimulator implantation is a minimally invasive surgical procedure done under general anesthesia to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It typically takes about 2-3 hours.
Placing the electrode
A small cut (about 4 cm) is made under the jaw. The surgeon gently moves muscle fibers to reach the hypoglossal nerves beneath the tongue.
The electrode is carefully placed in contact with the nerve branches that control tongue movement and is secured with stitches.
The surgical team tests the connection. If working correctly, the tongue will gently move forward when the device is activated.
The incision is closed in layers, and the outer skin is sealed.
Activating and using a hypoglossal nerve stimulator
Your skin takes around one month to heal fully after the implant surgery. Once healed, you can use the device to improve your sleep.
- Activating the device: About one and a half months after surgery, you’ll visit your doctor to have the device turned on and properly adjusted for your needs.
- Using the device: You’ll use an app on your phone before sleep or naps. A built-in delay timer lets you fall asleep naturally before the stimulation begins.
- Follow-up appointments: Your doctor will schedule check-ups once or twice a year to monitor and adjust the device as needed to be sure it is working well without waking you up.
- Sleep study: A follow-up sleep study will be done to measure how well the device is reducing sleep apnea episodes.
- Scars: You’ll have one small scar — one under your chin. The scar is typically 1 to 2 inches long.
- Device lifespan and maintenance: The internal parts — pulse generator, sensor, and electrode — can stay in place for many years. If removal or replacement becomes necessary, an outpatient procedure can be performed. The battery is external. Therefore, it can easily be replaced if needed.
Contact With Us
Contact Dr Peter Baptista for hypoglossal nerve stimulation in Dubai
If you’re considering hypoglossal nerve stimulation as a solution for obstructive sleep apnea, trust your care to an expert with unmatched experience.
Dr. Peter Baptista is a renowned ENT surgeon in Dubai with over 30 years of experience in treating complex ear, nose, and throat conditions. With more than 10,000 successful ENT surgeries to his name and over 3,000 sleep apnea patients helped, Dr. Peter combines medical excellence with a patient-first approach.
Take the first step toward better sleep and breathing—book a consultation today.
Dr Peter Baptista Jardin
European Board Certified ENT Doctor In Dubai
Dr. Peter Baptista Jardin is an ENT specialist with a special interest in treating sleep apnea. He is a revered expert in Spain for performing the first ever robotic transoral surgery in 2011, and the only series of hypoglossal nerve stimulation proved revolutionary for obstructive sleep apnea treatment worldwide. He currently serves as an ENT doctor in Dubai’s Al Zahra Hospital.
