Wellington Regional Medical Center recently announced that Dr. Deborah Loney has completed the first Inspire procedure at the hospital. Inspire is an FDA-approved, mask-free obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment option for people who cannot use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.
OSA affects 22 million Americans annually. When left untreated, it can cause vehicle and workplace accidents, worsening mood and memory, stroke, heart attack and even death. It occurs when the airway collapses during sleep and blocks the flow of oxygen to the brain. The brain senses a lack of oxygen and wakes the body up just long enough to take a breath, then falls back asleep. This cycle repeats throughout the night and causes poor, disruptive sleep.
Inspire works inside the body with a patient’s natural breathing process to treat sleep apnea. Mild stimulation opens the airway during sleep, allowing oxygen to flow naturally. The patient uses a small handheld remote to turn Inspire on before bed and off when they wake up. The Inspire system is implanted during a short, outpatient procedure. The system is placed under the skin of the neck and chest through two small incisions. Most patients return home the same day and take over-the-counter pain medications as needed.
The safety and efficacy of Inspire was evaluated during a clinical trial. Five-year trial outcomes show patients using Inspire experience significant reductions in sleep apnea events and significant improvements in quality-of-life measures. There have been more than 150 peer-reviewed publications on Inspire that show results consistent with those seen in the trial.
“We are excited to have completed the first Inspire procedure at Wellington Regional Medical Center,” CEO Pam Tahan said. “Inspire represents a significant advancement in treating sleep apnea. It is clinically proven to reduce sleep apnea events, has a high level of patient satisfaction and a high therapy adherence.”
To learn more about Inspire, visit www.inspiresleep.com.
Wellington Regional Medical Center is a 235-bed acute care hospital accredited by the Joint Commission. The hospital offers a wide range of services, including comprehensive stroke care, comprehensive lung program, minimally invasive services, cardiac services, a birthing center and level III NICU, a comprehensive women’s center, hepatobiliary surgical procedures, intraoperative radiation therapy, interventional procedures, and a wellness and weight loss center. Learn more at www.wellingtonregional.com.
