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Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing stops intermittently during sleep, often leading to significant health issues. Each episode can last from 10 to 20 seconds or more and is frequently accompanied by a brief arousal from sleep. This disturbance, largely unnoticed by the individual, can lead to severe daytime fatigue. Commonly, individuals seek help after being informed by their partners about loud snoring and noticeable breathing pauses during sleep.
The condition is more prevalent among...

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Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) with Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

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Continuous transcutaneous submental electrical stimulation in obstructive sleep apnea: a feasibility study.

Joerg Steier¹, John Seymour¹, Gerrard F Rafferty¹

¹King's College London School of Medicine, King's Health Partners, London, England.

|April 2, 2011

Summary

Transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the genioglossus muscle effectively reduces sleep-disordered breathing in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. This therapy decreases respiratory disturbance index and improves oxygenation by contracting the genioglossus muscle.

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Area of Science:

Sleep Medicine
Respiratory Physiology
Neuromuscular Stimulation

Background:

The effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES) of the genioglossus muscle for treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) remains uncertain.
Further research is needed to clarify the therapeutic value of this intervention in reducing sleep-disordered breathing.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the effect of continuous transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the genioglossus muscle on genioglossus muscle contraction.
To evaluate the impact of this stimulation on respiratory parameters in patients with OSA.

Main Methods:

Ultrasonography was used to measure genioglossus muscle diameter changes during stimulation in healthy subjects.
Polysomnography was performed on OSA patients to record esophageal/gastric pressures and diaphragm electromyogram (EMGdi) during non-rapid eye movement sleep with TES applied.

Main Results:

TES significantly increased tongue diameter in healthy subjects.
In OSA patients, TES reduced snoring, improved oxygenation, and significantly decreased the respiratory disturbance index (RDI).
Stimulation also reduced transdiaphragmatic pressure swing and EMGdi, indicating reduced ventilatory load and neural respiratory drive.

Conclusions:

Continuous transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the genioglossus muscle effectively contracts the genioglossus.
This intervention reduces ventilatory load and neural respiratory drive in patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea.