New treatment for sleep apnea relieves disorder without bulky breathing device

…The device, called proximal hypoglossal nerve stimulation (pHGNS), targets specific nerves in the tongue to keep the airway open during sleep.

It is a small, rechargeable battery-powered device, about the size of a pacemaker. It is surgically implanted under the skin in the upper chest, just below the collarbone. 

A thin, flexible wire connects the chest generator to the nerve in the neck. This wire runs under the skin and is not visible from the outside.

At the end of the wire is a small, multicontact electrode cuff. This cuff wraps directly around the hypoglossal nerve, which controls tongue movement.

When the patient turns the device on before sleeping, the cuff delivers mild electrical pulses to the hypoglossal nerve. 

These pulses stimulate the tongue and other airway muscles to contract and stiffen. This keeps the airway open during sleep, preventing the throat from collapsing and blocking breathing. 

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