Have you been using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)? Are you tired of wearing the mask for the machine every night, or are you not satisfied with your CPAP? If so, Inspire® could be a solution for you.
How Does Inspire Work?
Inspire is an FDA-approved treatment for OSA that works inside your body to treat the root cause of your sleep apnea with just the click of a button. There is no mask or hose you must wear. You can just sleep peacefully while Inspire works in your body.
Inspire is a small device that your Inspire provider can place in your body during an outpatient procedure. For the procedure, you will receive general anesthesia. Your Inspire provider will make two tiny incisions: one underneath your chin and one just below your collarbone.
After you recover from the procedure, you can use Inspire while you sleep. When you get in your bed, you can turn Inspire on just by clicking a button on the remote you will receive. Inspire will keep your airway open while you are sleeping by mildly stimulating the muscles in your airway and gently keeping your tongue from blocking your airway, so you can have a restful night’s sleep and breathe regularly throughout your sleep time.
How Is Inspire Beneficial?
According to Inspire’s website:
- 94% of patients say they like Inspire more than a CPAP machine and would tell other people they know to get the Inspire procedure done.
- Inspire results in 79% less sleep apnea episodes where patients stop breathing during the night.
- 91% of patients are pleased with Inspire.
- 90% of people who share a bed with patients say the patients do not snore with Inspire, or snoring is very soft.
What Is the Process to Get Inspire?
You can qualify for Inspire if you are:
- 18 years or older
- Not morbidly obese
- Struggle with CPAP
- A patient with moderate to severe OSA
To find out if you may qualify, take a short quiz on Inspire’s website.
If you qualify, attend an Inspire seminar. UofL Health hosts quarterly free community health talks at UofL Health – Medical Center East.
During these seminars, Kevin Potts, M.D., and Travis Shutt, M.D., discuss the procedure. To find out when our seminars will be hosted or to register, visit the UofL Health Community Events calendar.
Is Inspire Covered by Insurance?
Inspire is covered by many insurance providers. During your initial consultation appointment, your Inspire provider will be able to talk to you about insurance coverage. Most patients need to pay their remaining deductible for the year, as well as their surgery copay or coinsurance cost as applicable.
What Happens After I Get Inspire?
Once you have your Inspire procedure done, your Inspire provider may recommend that you take over-the-counter pain medicine, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. A few days after your procedure, you should be able to return to your activities, except ones that are strenuous. Your provider will let you know when you can return to your strenuous activities.
On average, patients are completely recovered from their Inspire procedure within two or three weeks.
About a month after you have your Inspire procedure, you will have an appointment with your Inspire provider, where you will receive your Inspire remote and be ready to turn Inspire on. You will continue to have follow-up appointments with your Inspire provider afterward to configure your Inspire settings and ensure the Inspire device is working.
The battery in the Inspire device should last for more than 10 years. When the battery runs low, you can have it replaced during a quick outpatient appointment.
To learn more about Inspire, visit the Inspire website or call UofL Physicians – Ear, Nose and Throat at 502-583-3687.
