BACKGROUND: Transcutaneous electrical stimulation while asleep has been used to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), although without convincing results. Modern strategies consist of electrical muscle training for a number of weeks during wakefulness rather than stimulation during sleep. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the practicability, safety, and efficacy of a new device, SilentOne (Imperpuls, Chemnitz, Germany). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients with various degrees of OSA used transcutaneous submental electrical stimulation therapy for 4-5 weeks every day, day and night. A patient's diary recorded practicability and potential adverse events. Respiratory parameters were recorded by fully attended polysomnography in the sleep lab. Daytime sleepiness and snoring were assessed by questionnaires. RESULTS: The apnea-hypopnea-index decreased from 29.2 before to 21.2 after therapy (P<0.05). Daytime sleepiness improved significantly (P<0.01) as did snoring (P<0.005). CONCLUSIONS. Transcutaneous electrical stimulation therapy using SilentOne proved to be safe, easy to use, and potent. However, therapy showed a limited cure rate.
BACKGROUND: Transcutaneous electrical stimulation while asleep has been used to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), although without convincing results. Modern strategies consist of electrical muscle training for a number of weeks during wakefulness rather than stimulation during sleep. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the practicability, safety, and efficacy of a new device, SilentOne (Imperpuls, Chemnitz, Germany). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients with various degrees of OSA used transcutaneous submental electrical stimulation therapy for 4-5 weeks every day, day and night. A patient's diary recorded practicability and potential adverse events. Respiratory parameters were recorded by fully attended polysomnography in the sleep lab. Daytime sleepiness and snoring were assessed by questionnaires. RESULTS: The apnea-hypopnea-index decreased from 29.2 before to 21.2 after therapy (P<0.05). Daytime sleepiness improved significantly (P<0.01) as did snoring (P<0.005). CONCLUSIONS. Transcutaneous electrical stimulation therapy using SilentOne proved to be safe, easy to use, and potent. However, therapy showed a limited cure rate.
Authors: T Verse; R Bodlaj; R de la Chaux; A Dreher; C Heiser; M Herzog; W Hohenhorst; K Hörmann; O Kaschke; T Kühnel; N Mahl; J T Maurer; W Pirsig; K Rohde; A Sauter; M Schedler; R Siegert; A Steffen; B A Stuck Journal: HNO Date: 2009-11 Impact factor: 1.284