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A new and promising treatment for tongue collapse?
The "Advance System" is a newly developed product and is currently under clinical trial in the United States and Europe. The treatment includes a device that is surgically implanted in the tongue and lower jaw.
The purpose of the implant is to prevent obstruction of the upper airway thereby improving breathing during sleep. Once implanted, adjustments can be made to the "Advance System" at the time of the procedure or later to advance the tongue in order to maintain an open airway during sleep. This adjustment is performed in a way to not cause swallowing problems.
Here is a link to the manufacturer:
http://www.aspiremedical.com/tech_us.html#
If you click at the text under the second picture, you will see how it works.
I am curious to hear the outcome of this clinical trial.
For me this solution looks very innovative, but I think about how it feels with a wire in the tongue.
Henning
The purpose of the implant is to prevent obstruction of the upper airway thereby improving breathing during sleep. Once implanted, adjustments can be made to the "Advance System" at the time of the procedure or later to advance the tongue in order to maintain an open airway during sleep. This adjustment is performed in a way to not cause swallowing problems.
Here is a link to the manufacturer:
http://www.aspiremedical.com/tech_us.html#
If you click at the text under the second picture, you will see how it works.
I am curious to hear the outcome of this clinical trial.
For me this solution looks very innovative, but I think about how it feels with a wire in the tongue.
Henning
Views: 23
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Steven Y. Park, MD on
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I've been following this since it was first in clinical trials, and although it sounds promising, they seem to need some of the kinks worked out. It's a bulky implant, and I can imagine it being a nightmare if it gets infected or needs to be removed.
There's an alternative procedure that's been out for a few years called a SMILE (submucous minimally invasive lingual excision) where you take a Coblator and through a small tunnel through the top of the tongue, go into the tongue base area an vaporize a small portion of the tongue muscle to physically debulk the tongue tissue. This is different from the somnoplasty procedures that only burn and stiffen the muscle. I've had some success with this procedure on a limited basis. I think it may be more useful for UARS and mild OSA.
Here's the link to the original paper: http://www.vedise.it/warehouse/doc/SMILE.pdf
http://www.doctorstevenpark.com
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Another option for the tongue is Repose, which is a thin suture that is attached to the back of your lower jaw and looped around the back of the tongue. This suspends your tongue base to prevent it from falling back. I've had pretty good results with this over the past 5-6 years. Not an option for everyone, but as part of a multilevel surgical approach for people who have have tried CPAP or can't tolerate it, it can be a useful option. I usually do this in conjunction with a hyoid suspension.
http://www.doctorstevenpark.com
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Permalink Reply by Henning on
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I have not thought about the infection risk. But could the material be made of metal (for example titanium) that are used in a wide range of other operations?
The implant is designed as an anchor, and will therefore act as an arrow tip. So I can see the problem in getting it removed again.
What I think was clever was that with a simple surgery the tongue can be adjusted at the setting in the future.
I have seen the preliminary results from Belgium, and they sounds very promising.
But of course we must await the final results.
Henning
Steven Y. Park, MD said:I've been following this since it was first in clinical trials, and although it sounds promising, they seem to need some of the kinks worked out. It's a bulky implant, and I can imagine it being a nightmare if it gets infected or needs to be removed.
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