Frequently asked questions about upper airway stimulation

Inspire therapy is designed to treat patients with obstructive sleep apnoea. Snoring is a common symptom of obstructive sleep apnoea.

The long-term evaluation of a large-scale study (STAR study) showed a significant reduction in nocturnal snoring: 90% of bed partners report that their partners snore lightly or not at all with Inspire therapy.¹ If you or your partner are affected by sleep apnoea, your healthcare provider can determine if the snoring is due to OSA.

¹ Woodson, BT, Strohl, K P, Soose, R J et al. Upper Airway Stimulation for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: 5-Year Outcomes. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 2018; 159(1):194-202.

Usually, the Inspire system should be checked once or twice a year. However, depending on your individual situation and the course of the disease, your doctor may decide to examine you more or less often.

The healing phase after the procedure varies. For a few days after the implantation, you should expect slight pain and swelling in the areas of the scars. Depending on your general condition and any concomitant diseases, you can usually go home after 1-2 days. Follow-up treatment in a rehabilitation clinic is not necessary.

You should be able to resume your normal activities within a few days after the procedure. You can usually eat normally again the day after the operation. You should avoid strenuous physical activities, such as heavy lifting, for about two weeks, depending on your surgeon’s instructions. About a week after the procedure, you will be examined by your doctor to check the wounds and the healing process. Most patients are fully recovered within a few weeks.

The battery will normally last between 8 and 11 years. It is not possible to recharge the battery, so the generator must be replaced when the battery is empty. This is a quick procedure, similar to the replacement of a heart pacemaker.

Usually, the system does not interfere with your normal daily activities. For particularly strenuous activities, such as weight lifting, or activities involving a large or unpredictable range of motion of the upper body and/or arms, such as working as a firefighter, please talk to your consultant. They will be able to advise you in detail.

All patients treated with Inspire therapy are permitted to undergo various imaging procedures such as a full-body computed tomography (CT) scan, ultrasound and X-rays. Depending on the model of your system, you are also allowed to have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the head and extremities under certain conditions. If an MRI procedure is recommended, it is best to discuss your options with your doctor.