Summary: MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach has completed its first two pediatric Inspire procedures for children with Down syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The FDA-approved Inspire device offers an alternative treatment for children who cannot tolerate CPAP therapy or benefit from traditional surgery. The procedure involves implanting the device under the skin, where it works by gently stimulating the airway to remain open during sleep, potentially improving the overall health and quality of life for these patients.
Key Takeaways:
- New Treatment Option: MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach has implemented the Inspire device to treat children with Down syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea, providing an alternative to CPAP therapy and traditional surgery.
- Device Functionality: The Inspire device, implanted under the skin, helps keep the airway open during sleep through mild stimulation, addressing a need for effective sleep apnea treatment in children with Down syndrome.
- Patient Outcomes: Results suggest that children with Down syndrome who receive the Inspire treatment show improvements in sleep quality, reduced tiredness, and increased alertness.
MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach completed its first two pediatric Inspire procedures for children with Down syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Inspire is an US Food and Drug Administration-approved OSA device that can help treat and prevent sleep apnea for children with Down syndrome children who cannot use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy and are not effectively treated by adenotonsillectomy.
“Over 60% of children with Down syndrome are affected by obstructive sleep apnea since they tend to have smaller breathing pathways, lower muscle tone, and enlarged adenoids, tonsils, and tongues obstructing their airway,” says Gary Feldman, MD, medical director of the Pediatric Sleep Program at Stramski Children’s Developmental Center, MemorialCare Miller Children’s, and Women’s Hospital Long Beach, in a release. “Left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea will significantly impact children with Down syndrome, often affecting their language, behavior, and ability to do well in school.”
Options for OSA Patients With Down Syndrome
Since many patients with Down syndrome have enlarged tonsils and adenoids, surgery to remove the tonsils and adenoids is the traditional first-line treatment option for opening the airway, but studies have shown less than 30% of children with Down syndrome benefit from the procedure.
[RELATED: Neurostimulator Offers Relief to Young Man with Down Syndrome and OSA]
Additionally, CPAP therapy is difficult for this pediatric population because children with Down syndrome are more likely to have sensory difficulties, which can make wearing a CPAP mask extremely difficult as a long-term solution.
“The Inspire system is implanted under the skin of the neck and chest during a short surgical procedure,” says Namrata Varma, DO, pediatric otolaryngologist at MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach, in a release. “Inspire works inside the body with a patient’s natural breathing process, using mild stimulation to open the airway during sleep, allowing oxygen to flow naturally. The system is activated by a small handheld remote to turn Inspire on before bed and off when they wake up.”
Inspire for OSA
During sleep, the tongue relaxes. For people with OSA, the tongue relaxes into a position that blocks the airway. The Inspire implant works by sensing when the patient takes a breath and then gently moving the tongue forward to keep the airway open. The device works automatically throughout the night, and the level of stimulation can be adjusted through the handheld remote as needed.
Caregivers report their children with Down syndrome have less daily tiredness and show increased alertness and energy after consistent use of Inspire.
“We are so excited to offer this groundbreaking therapy to our pediatric patients with Down syndrome,” says Ayal Willner, MD, pediatric otolaryngologist at MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach, in a release. “The ability to provide a treatment that significantly improves sleep quality and overall health for these children is incredibly rewarding.”
Criteria and Efficacy
The criteria for the pediatric Down syndrome population to be considered for Inspire include being 13 years of age or older, having a diagnosis of OSA, and having either an inability to tolerate or having failed CPAP.
The safety and efficacy of Inspire was 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 showing results consistent with those seen in the STAR trial.
Photo caption: Inspire
File photo
Leave a Reply