Respicardia, Minnetonka, MN, reports that German doctors have successfully implanted a remed? system into a patient with central sleep apnea (CSA).
The system, wich consists of an implantable pulse generator, implantable leads, and an external system programmer, delivers electrical pulses to one of the body’s two phrenic nerves. The diaphragm responds by restoring a more natural, less disrupted, breathing pattern.
“We saw a dramatic reduction in the severity of sleep apnea such that only mild CSA remained after therapy activation,” said Christoph Stellbrink, MD, the site’s principal investigator. “The patient tolerated the therapy well. This clearly marks an important development in how I will approach treating patients with CSA and cardiovascular disease.”
The remed? system is currently being studied in the United States and other international sites under an Investigational Device Exemption, evaluating the technology’s ability to improve respiratory and cardiovascular health in patients with CSA.
