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Treatment of Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea With a Domestic Implantable Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulator: A Case Report
Su-Ru Liu1, En-Hui Zhou1, Xin-Yi Li1
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Sleep Disordered Breathing, Otolaryngology Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China.
Background:
Implantable hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) is an established neuromodulatory therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in patients intolerant to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). However, no domestically developed HNS system has been clinically implemented in China to date.
Methods:
We report the first clinical implantation of a novel, Chinese-developed HNS system in a patient with severe OSA. The patient was a 39-year-old man with a 20-year history of nocturnal snoring and apnea. Preoperative polysomnography (PSG) demonstrated an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of 46.3 events per hour and a lowest oxygen saturation of 83%. The device selectively activates the medial branch of the hypoglossal nerve, which induces genioglossus contraction and anterior tongue displacement, thereby stabilizing the upper airway during sleep.
Results:
The procedure was successfully performed. At short-term follow-up, the patient showed marked improvements: AHI decreased from 46.3 to 11.8 events/hour, LSaO2 increased from 83% to 86%, and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale Score improved from 1 to 0. No adverse events occurred.
Conclusions:
This first‑in‑human experience confirms that the domestic HNS system is feasible, safe, and clinically effective in patient with severe OSA who is intolerant to CPAP. These preliminary results support further clinical development and validation of this domestically manufactured HNS technology for broader application in China.
