Pacemaker under your tongue that stops you snoring
Baku, January 26 (AZERTAC). A pacemaker-style device implanted underneath the tongue may be a way to tackle snoring. New research shows that the implant, which stimulates the nerve that controls the muscles of the tongue, can reduce the severity of sleep apnoea, a major cause of snoring. The device is programmed to work only when the patient is asleep; or it can be turned on and off as needed through a remote control. An estimated 60 per cent of all snorers are `tongue-snorers`, which means that the tongue and soft tissue around the throat falls into the back of the airway, causing the tissue to vibrate as air flows past it. In severe cases, this can result in obstructive sleep apnoea — a condition that affects up to four in 100 adult men and two in 100 women. Obstructive sleep apnoea is a risk factor for a number of conditions, including heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, daytime fatigue and weight gain. One of the most successful treatments for the condition is a continuous positive airway pressure mask or CPAP, where mildly increased air pressure keeps the airways open during sleep. However, many people dislike wearing the mask, with some estimates suggesting that only half of sufferers with a CPAP device regularly use it. The new implant, called the Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation System, works on the muscles of the tongue, causing them to contract at once. This not only pulls the tongue forward, but these muscles also control the soft tissue in the walls of the airway, so it pulls open the airway, too.
Research at the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth, Australia, shows that the therapy can be highly effective. The trial involved 21 patients aged 43 to 63 with moderate to severe sleep apnoea, who were assessed for six months after having the device implanted.
To assess its effectiveness, doctors adopted the widely used apnoea-hypopnea index, which assesses severity of symptoms. Results show that severity levels dropped from a score of 43 to 19.5.
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