Sleep Apnea Program

Sleep apnea is a condition in which you stop breathing in your sleep. This happens when the throat muscles and tongue relax too much, causing a block in your airway. BiPAP and CPAP machines may help your airway stay open. But these treatments aren’t for everyone.

You may benefit from surgery with hypoglossal nerve stimulation if you:

• Tried a BiPAP or CPAP machine for several months and your symptoms do not improve
• Cannot get restful sleep because you find the BiPAP or CPAP uncomfortable
• Have structural issues in your nose or throat, including a nasal obstruction
• Sleep on your back
• Are overweight

When you come to Cedars-Sinai, you benefit from the region’s leading sleep apnea surgery specialists. We’ve helped pioneer many of today’s leading therapies through participation in clinical trials.

Our depth of experience includes many types of devices, so you can count on us for appropriate care. We hold ourselves to the highest quality standards, which helps us maintain high success rates. Most patients notice a significant reduction in daytime tiredness shortly after surgery.

Whether you need surgery or nonsurgical treatments, you can count on Cedars-Sinai to be there for you. We use a team approach to deliver the therapies that are best for your needs.

You benefit from the skills and expertise of specialists representing:

• Ear, nose and throat care (otolaryngologists)
• Dentistry
• Lung conditions (pulmonology)
• Neurosurgery
• Oral surgery
• Sleep medicine 
• Surgical and medical weight loss

This implantable device sends gentle electrical impulses to the nerves controlling your tongue (hypoglossal nerve). The impulses stimulate the tongue, preventing it from sliding back and blocking your airway.

Surgery is necessary to implant the stimulator. It goes in the upper part of the chest. A thin wire from the stimulator connects to the hypoglossal nerve. After recovering from surgery, our sleep apnea experts adjust the stimulator settings to meet your needs.