OSA affects 22 million Americans. When left untreated, OSA can cause vehicle and workplace accidents, worsening mood and memory, stroke, heart attack, and even death. 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, disruptive sleep.

Inspire works inside the body with a patient’s natural breathing process to treat sleep apnea. Mild stimulation 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 Inspire system is implanted during a short, outpatient procedure. The system is placed under the skin of the neck and chest through two small incisions. Most patients return home the same day and take over-the-counter pain medications to manage pain as needed.

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. These publications show results consistent with those seen in the STAR trial.

“I could not be more excited to bring this revolutionary technology to the people of Murfreesboro and Middle TN, and I could not be prouder of the incredible team here at MMC that has made it possible,” said Hunter Arnaud, M.D., Otolaryngologist, MMC’s Comprehensive ENT Department. “It is a privilege to care for the wonderful people of our community and help restore their sleep and day-to-day lives.”

Joey Peay, CEO of MMC, noted, “Congratulations to Dr. Arnaud for this significant accomplishment. His ability to perform the Inspire procedure in Murfreesboro further demonstrates the Clinic’s commitment to bringing state-of-the-art medical treatments to our community. As an organization, we will continue to encourage our physicians to bring innovative procedures and techniques to benefit our patients.”

Hunter Arnaud, M.D. is a board-eligible physician skilled in Otolaryngology (ENT). Dr. Arnaud’s areas of expertise include adult & pediatric Otolaryngology, Thyroid & Parathyroid surgery, cochlear implants, nasal & sinus surgery, head & neck surgery, and the Inspire sleep apnea implant. He received his medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and completed his Residency in Otolaryngology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

To learn more about Inspire or Dr. Hunter Arnaud, please visit www.mmclinic.com/inspire-therapy.