Sleep apnoea implant can reduce oxygen deprivation and sleepiness in the daytime

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2026-05-22 01:00

International

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A surgical implant for sleep apnoea can improve oxygen deprivation overnight and lead to more energy in the daytime, according to international research. The implant stimulates the hypoglossal nerve, which controls tongue movement, helping people with sleep apnoea keep their airway clear as they sleep. In a secondary analysis of a trial of the implant, the researchers looked specifically at hypoxic burden - a marker of oxygen deprivation that is closely linked to many of the health risks associated with sleep apnoea - in 108 participants trialling the device. The researchers say the implant was linked to a reduction in hypoxic burden and improvements in daytime sleepiness, and some participants who showed little improvement in direct symptoms of sleep apnoea still saw reductions in hypoxic burden.

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Journal/
conference: JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Harvard Medical School, USA

Funder: Dr Azarbarzin reports funding from the US NIH (R01HL153874, R01 HL158765, R21 HL161766), the American Heart Association(19CDA34660137), and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (188-SR-17, SR-2217). Dr Xu was supported by the Affiliated Huai’an No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and National Natural Science Foundation of China (82370089). Dr Op de Beeck is supported by a senior postdoctoral fellowship at Research Foundation Flanders (FWO 1247325N). Dr Vanderveken holds a senior clinical investigator fellowship from the Research Foundation in Flanders (FWO 1833517N). The original STAR trial was sponsored by Inspire Medical Systems.

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