Review of Neurostimulation Therapies for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation and Beyond.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep-related respiratory disorder characterized by partial or complete obstruction of the upper airway, typically resulting in a decrease in arterial oxygen saturation and repeated awakenings from sleep. It is the most common sleep-related respiratory disorder, affecting 9% to 38% of adults. OSA is associated with loss of tone, improper contraction of the tongue, and pharyngeal dilator muscles of the upper airway during sleep. The gold-standard treatment for moderate-to-severe OSA is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). However, many patients have poor long-term compliance with CPAP. Stimulation of the upper airway with electrical activation of the hypoglossal nerve has emerged as a promising treatment for patients with moderate-to-severe OSA who have failed CPAP therapy.

Objectives

The present paper aims to review the literature regarding neurostimulation for the treatment of OSA.

Conclusions

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) has shown favorable success and low morbidity in the management of moderate-to-severe OSA.