Restore restful sleep with the Inspire® procedure, a mask-free treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. At Surgical Associates Northwest, our ENTs use this small implanted device to gently stimulate your airway muscles while you sleep, helping you breathe normally, reduce snoring, and wake up feeling more refreshed without CPAP equipment.
Breathe Easier During Sleep Without Masks
The Inspire procedure is a minimally invasive treatment for obstructive sleep apnea that helps keep your airway open while you sleep. It involves placing a small device under the skin of your chest and neck during an outpatient surgery. While you sleep, the device gently stimulates the nerve that controls tongue movement, preventing airway collapse and breathing interruptions. You turn Inspire on before bed and off when you wake up using a simple remote, allowing for quiet, natural breathing without masks or hoses.
What Does the Inspire Procedure Treat?
The Inspire procedure treats obstructive sleep apnea, a sleep-related breathing disorder caused by repeated airway collapse during sleep. When the tongue and surrounding muscles relax too much, they can block airflow, leading to drops in oxygen levels and frequent sleep disruptions. Over time, untreated sleep apnea can affect your energy, focus, heart health, and quality of life. Inspire treats the underlying mechanical cause of obstruction rather than just the symptoms.
Inspire can help with the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, including:
- Loud, chronic snoring
- Pauses in breathing during sleep
- Gasping or choking at night
- Unrefreshing or restless sleep
- Excessive daytime fatigue
- Morning headaches
- Difficulty concentrating or memory issues
Benefits of the Inspire Procedure
The Inspire procedure offers a modern, patient-friendly option for treating obstructive sleep apnea, especially if CPAP hasn’t worked for you. By working with your breathing patterns and avoiding bulky equipment, Inspire fits seamlessly into your nightly routine.
Key benefits of the Inspire procedure include:
- Mask-free, hose-free sleep apnea treatment
- Gently keeps the airway open during sleep
- Quiet operation without machine noise
- Easy on-and-off control with a handheld remote
- Performed as a short outpatient procedure
- Minimal incisions and scarring
- No nightly equipment setup or cleaning
- Supports more natural breathing
Your Inspire Procedure Experience
Your Inspire experience begins with a thorough consultation focused on how your airway behaves during sleep. Your ENT reviews your sleep study to confirm moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea and discusses why CPAP has not worked for you. An airway exam, often including drug-induced sleep endoscopy, allows your doctor to observe where collapse occurs while you’re asleep. This helps determine whether gentle nerve stimulation can keep your airway open and confirms that Inspire is the right option for you.
The Inspire procedure is performed as a same-day outpatient surgery under general anesthesia. A small incision under the chin allows the surgeon to place a stimulation cuff around the hypoglossal nerve, which controls your tongue position. A second incision near the collarbone houses the pulse generator and a breathing sensor placed between the chest muscles. After healing, the device is activated and precisely programmed to move the tongue forward with each breath, keeping your airway open while you sleep.
Inspire Procedure FAQs
How Soon Will I Notice Results After the Inspire Procedure?
You won’t use Inspire immediately after surgery. The device is typically activated about a month later, once the incisions have healed. At that visit, your provider programs the settings to match your breathing patterns. Many patients begin noticing improvements within the first few weeks of use, with continued fine-tuning over time for optimal results.
What Does Inspire Feel Like While You Sleep?
Most people describe the stimulation as a gentle pulling or tightening sensation of the tongue. It should not be painful. During follow-up visits, the settings can be adjusted to ensure the stimulation feels comfortable while still keeping your airway open.
How Long Does the Inspire Device Last?
The Inspire battery typically lasts 10 to 11 years, depending on usage and settings. When the battery runs low, it can be replaced with a minor surgical procedure.
Why Choose Surgical Associates Northwest?
Surgical Associates Northwest is a trusted ENT practice that has been caring for our community for more than 30 years. When it comes to advanced treatments like the Inspire procedure, you get easy access to experienced ENT specialists without the long waits often found at hospital-based groups. We take time to listen, explain your options clearly, and ensure your comfort. If you suffer from sleep apnea and want to avoid CPAPs, please schedule a consultation for the Inspire procedure in Auburn or Federal Way, WA.
