Origins of and implementation concepts for upper airway stimulation therapy for obstructive sleep apnea.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review without original empirical data or systematic search methodology
PubMed 27424823 · doi:10.1016/j.resinv.2016.01.006
What was done
This narrative review outlines the origins, physiological mechanism, and clinical implementation of hypoglossal nerve stimulation for patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome who cannot tolerate positive airway pressure. It details clinical and endoscopic selection criteria for device implantation and discusses multidisciplinary care pathways between sleep medicine and surgical specialists.
What was found
The abstract reports no empirical data, statistical measures, or quantitative outcomes. It presents conceptual descriptions of upper airway muscle activation, candidate assessment criteria, and collaborative team requirements for neurostimulation therapy.
Why it matters
It provides a clinical implementation overview and candidate selection framework for using hypoglossal nerve stimulation as an alternative therapy in CPAP-intolerant obstructive sleep apnea.
Limits
This is an unstructured narrative review containing no original data, sample size, comparator group, or quantitative efficacy metrics in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Implantable hypoglossal nerve stimulation devices (such as Inspire) electrically stimulate upper airway muscles when airway obstruction is detected to maintain airway patency during sleep.