Faculty Collaboration Database

Nerve monitoring-guided selective hypoglossal nerve stimulation in obstructive sleep apnea patients. Laryngoscope 2016 Dec;126(12):2852-2858

Date

06/28/2016

Pubmed ID

27345949

DOI

10.1002/lary.26026

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84977534759 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   64 Citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS: Selective stimulation of the upper airway is a new therapy for obstructive sleep apnea. The aim of the study was to determine if a selective nerve integrity monitoring (NIM) system could aid in precise placement of the cuff electrode in selective upper-airway stimulation.

STUDY DESIGN: Single-center, prospective clinical trial.

METHODS: Twenty patients who received a selective upper-airway stimulation system (Inspire Medical Systems, Maple Grove, MN) were implanted by using a NIM system. The tongue motions were recorded during surgery and 2 months postoperatively from the transoral view and by transnasal endoscopy.

RESULTS: All patients exhibited consistent protrusion at tongue front and tongue base. The nerve monitoring system helped to place the cuff electrode around the protrusion and stiffening branches, while excluding the retractor branches of the hypoglossal nerve.

CONCLUSION: This report demonstrated a novel use of a NIM system to identify the functional separation between inclusion and exclusion branches of the hypoglossal nerve for implantation of a selective upper-airway stimulation system.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4. Laryngoscope, 126:2852-2858, 2016.

Author List

Heiser C, Hofauer B, Lozier L, Woodson BT, Stark T

Author

B Tucker Woodson MD Chief, Professor in the Otolaryngology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Electric Stimulation Therapy
Feasibility Studies
Humans
Hypoglossal Nerve
Male
Middle Aged
Monitoring, Intraoperative
Prospective Studies
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive
Tongue