Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment

Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment …No Mask. No Hose. Just Sleep.

Dr. John Ruth, Ohio County Healthcare’s newest surgeon, is now offering Inspire therapy, a breakthrough obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment option for those who cannot use Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy.

Obstructive sleep apnea affects 22 million Americans, with the most common symptoms including loud snoring and feeling tired even after a full night’s sleep. People with sleep apnea experience constant nightly interruptions and shallower overall sleep, which can lead to sleep deprivation. It occurs when the airway collapses during sleep and blocks the flow of oxygen to the brain. The brain senses a lack of oxygen and wakes the body up just long enough to take a breath, then falls back asleep. This cycle repeats throughout the night and causes poor, disrupted sleep. This can lead to serious health risks that affect a person physically, mentally, and emotionally. Health risks of sleep apnea include worsening mood and memory, stroke, heart attack, and even death.

Inspire works inside the body with a patient’s natural breathing process to treat sleep apnea. An implant is inserted during an outpatient surgical procedure to provide mild stimulation that opens the airway during sleep, allowing oxygen to flow naturally. The patient uses a small handheld remote to turn Inspire on before bed and off when they wake up.

The safety and efficacy of Inspire were evaluated during the STAR clinical trial. Five-year STAR trial outcomes show patients using Inspire experience significant reductions in sleep apnea events and significant improvements in quality-of-life measures. There have been over 150 peer-reviewed publications on Inspire. These publications show results consistent with those seen in the STAR trial.

“Over the years, I have seen many patients who have stopped using or are unable to tolerate CPAP,” said John Ruth, MD, ENT Surgeon. “Inspire represents a significant advancement in treating sleep apnea. It is clinically proven to reduce sleep apnea events. I have performed over 30 Inspire Procedures over the past year at Ohio County Healthcare. There has been a high level of patient satisfaction and a high therapy adherence. I am excited to grow both my ENT and Inspire practice here at OCH.”

After practicing in the Bowling Green area for the past ten years, Dr. Ruth recently joined the medical staff of Ohio County Healthcare to provide a full range of Ear, Nose, and Throat services along with Inspire Therapy. He joins Michael Campbell, MD, another familiar Bowling Green surgical name, in caring for patients from the Western Kentucky area at the Ohio County Specialty Care offices in Hartford, KY. Both surgeons are part of OCH’s building surgical excellence initiative which also includes the opening of a new $22 million-dollar surgical wing this summer. The new facilities will house the newest DaVinci robotic surgical equipment for use in general surgery, gynecology and urology specialities.

To schedule appointments with Dr. Ruth for ENT/Inspire services or with Dr. Campbell for general surgery needs, please call 270-730-5344.