Space invader: pleural penetration of a hypoglossal nerve stimulator sensor lead

Respiratory Sensing Lead Malfunction in Upper Airway Stimulation: A Single Institution Report

OBJECTIVES

Upper airway stimulation (UAS) is an effective treatment for patients with obstructive sleep apnea. The device consists of a stimulating electrode, an internal pulse generator, and a respiratory sensing lead. The purpose of this study is to characterize the incidence of sensing lead malfunction necessitating revision surgery in a high-volume center in conjunction with a review of the FDA Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database reports on adverse events associated with the sensing lead component.

METHODS

Patients age ≥18 implanted with the device were reviewed between July 2017 and June 2022. Those determined to have sensing lead malfunction were analyzed. The FDA MAUDE database was reviewed for reports associated with "Inspire Model 4323 Respiratory" and "Inspire Model 4340 Respiratory" between January 2014 and September 2022.

RESULTS

One hundred ninety patients underwent UAS at our institution during the study period and four (2.1%) patients were found to have sensing lead malfunction. Analysis of the MAUDE database revealed 122 reports of adverse events associated with the sensing lead component, with 72% (88/122) of these requiring revision surgery. The most frequently reported adverse event was sensing lead tip separation from lead body, noted in 46% of these reports (56/122).

CONCLUSION

The functionality of the sensing lead component is vital to the integrity of the UAS device and is measurable through waveform analysis. To provide optimal care after device implantation, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of the scenarios in which this component fails, the incidence of such events, and appropriate management.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 Laryngoscope, 134:1479-1484, 2024.

Challenges and adverse events in pediatric hypoglossal nerve stimulation

INTRODUCTION

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation was recently FDA approved for use in children with Down Syndrome and persistent obstructive sleep apnea. Although there is a robust experience in hypoglossal nerve stimulation in adults, we observed several challenges that are unique to providing this therapy to a complex pediatric population with a high rate of sensory processing disorders. We sought to review the adverse events and challenges to inform clinicians as hypoglossal nerve stimulation becomes a more accessible option for this complex population.

METHODS

Retrospective case series of children with Down Syndrome and persistent OSA who underwent hypoglossal nerve stimulation. Inclusion and exclusion criteria included Down Syndrome, age 10-22 years, persistent severe OSA after adenotonsillectomy (AHI>10 with <25 % central or mixed events), inability to tolerate positive airway pressure, and absence of concentric palatal collapse on sleep endoscopy. Patients were identified and their charts were reviewed. Adverse events and their subsequent management were recorded. The major outcome variable was the total number of adverse events.

RESULTS

A total of 53 patients underwent implantation of a hypoglossal nerve stimulator; 35 (66 %) patients were male and the average age at implantation was 15.1 years (standard deviation 3.0y). A total of 30 adverse events were noted, including 17 nonserious and 13 serious. The most common nonserious complications included temporary tongue discomfort, rash at the surgical site, and cellulitis. Serious complications included readmission (for cellulitis, pain, and device extrusion), reoperation (most commonly for battery depletion) and pressure ulcer formation.

CONCLUSION

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation provides a much-needed therapy for children with DS and persistent OSA after adenotonsillectomy. Although there is a robust experience in providing this treatment to adults, many considerations must be made when adapting this technology to a pediatric population with a high rate of sensory processing disorders.

Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation Therapy

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) has been shown to be a safe alternative in the treatment of moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A recent meta-analysis of 12 studies by Costantino et al. indicated the surgical success rates at 55-75%, a reduction of the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) of 18 events/h, and a reduction of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) of 2.9-5.3. After animal studies in the 1970s, the first trial on humans to decrease upper airway resistance by transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the genioglossus was reported in 1989. A separate stimulation of protruding and retracting muscles was realized in 1995 by fine-wire electrodes that were placed into the tongue transoral. Over the next years, several companies developed implantable devices for hypoglossal stimulation in OSA. Initially, devices were developed that used unilateral stimulation of the hypoglossal nerve. In 2014, a device for unilateral respiratory frequency-controlled hypoglossal stimulation finally received FDA approval after a successful phase III trial. In recent years, a device for bilateral breath rate-independent stimulation of the hypoglossal nerve has been added to these approaches as a new development. Accordingly, hypoglossal nerve stimulation, on the one hand, is now an established tool for patients with OSA when standard treatments are not satisfactory. Beyond that, hypoglossal stimulation is undergoing a continuous and impressive development like hardly any other field of surgical therapy for OSA.