Have OSA, but CPAP Isn’t the Answer for You? Let’s Compare Two Leading Treatment Options

If you’ve been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) but can’t tolerate CPAP therapy, you’re not alone. Studies show that up to 50% of OSA patients struggle with CPAP compliance.¹ Fortunately, modern surgical advances can safely and effectively treat your airway obstruction—but there are big differences to know about when choosing your treatment pathway.

While some options permanently fix the problem, others simply trade your CPAP mask for a different kind of nightly routine—one that involves remote controls, months of adjustments, and limitations you’ll carry for life. Compare what these treatments actually mean for your daily life to help cut through the confusion.

The Two Paths: Permanent Fix or Perpetual Management?

When it comes to surgically treating your OSA, you’re choosing between two fundamentally different approaches: fixing the problem or managing it with technology.

Multilevel Sleep Surgery (MLS) with AIRLIFT targets the obstruction points in your airway and permanently remodels those areas to resist airway collapse. The AIRLIFT hyoid suspension procedure repositions the hyoid bone via two small 1.2-inch incisions and combines with a remodeling of your soft palate tissues, creating an airway that stays open naturally while you sleep.

Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation (HNS) with Inspire does not improve your airway to keep it from collapsing—it provides a stimulation aid during sleep that, if tolerated, pushes your tongue base forward. This involves implanting a pulse generator and an 18-inch electrical lead that you activate nightly with a remote control.

From Surgery to Sleep: How Fast Can You Get Relief?

Treatment with MLS with AIRLIFT follows a direct path. After your surgical procedure and recovery period, you’ll know the impact on your OSA. There’s no waiting for device activation or months of adjustments.²

The results speak for themselves:

• 69% mean AHI (Apnea Hypopnea Index) reduction
• 77% surgical success rate

However, HNS with Inspire is considerably more complex. After surgery and initial recovery, you must wait before the device can be activated, then spend months titrating and conditioning your body to therapy, discovering whether a stimulation level can be found that opens your airway without disrupting your sleep.^3,4

The results are more modest:

• 52% mean AHI reduction
• 66% surgical success rate

Not only does MLS with AIRLIFT get you to relief faster, but it also delivers superior clinical outcomes with higher success rates and greater reduction in sleep apnea severity. In addition, if MLS with AIRLIFT does not provide the benefit you need, HNS with Inspire remains a treatment option.

Next month we dive deeper into these two options, covering the costs involved and what it’s like to live with these treatment options. If you want to know more right now, get in touch with us at info@siestamedical.com.

---

Sources

1. Rotenberg BW, et al. Trends in CPAP adherence over twenty years of data collection: a flattened curve. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;45(1):43. doi: 10.1186/s40463-016-0156-0.
2. Van Tassel J, Chio E, Silverman D, Nord RS, Platter D, Abidin MR. Hyoid Suspension With UPPP for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Ear Nose Throat J. 2021 Mar 18:1455613211001132.
3. Cai Y, Zheng YJ, Chang JL. Longitudinal Analysis of Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulator Therapy Uptitration Using Cloud-Based Usage Data. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2024 Dec;171(6):1931-1933.
4. Strollo PJ, Soose RJ, Maurer JT, de Vries N, Cornelius J, Froymovich O, Hanson RD, Padhya TA, Steward DL, Gillespie MB, Woodson BT, Van de Heyning PH, Goetting MG, Vanderveken OM, Feldman N, Knaack L, Strohl KP, STAR Trial Group. Upper-airway stimulation for obstructive sleep apnea. N Engl J Med. 2014 Jan 9;370(2):139-49.