If CPAP hasn’t worked for your obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the FDA-approved Nyxoah Genio® system offers a promising new alternative. Many patients arrive at Dr. Jordan Weiner’s Scottsdale, AZ practice believing they’ve exhausted their options, worn down by equipment that didn’t deliver the relief they desperately need. For those who qualify for Genio therapy, this recently approved treatment provides another path forward, one that works with your body’s natural function to keep your airway open throughout the night.
Nyxoah Genio is the latest advancement in hypoglossal nerve stimulation therapy for sleep apnea. Approved by the FDA in August 2025, Genio works by stimulating both sides of the hypoglossal nerve, which controls tongue movement. A small neurostimulator implanted beneath your chin causes your tongue to shift forward during sleep, preventing the airway collapse that characterizes obstructive sleep apnea.
What makes Genio distinct is its external power source. Each night, you attach a small activation chip to a patch under your chin. This chip wirelessly powers the implant and controls the stimulation throughout your sleep. In the morning, you remove the patch and charge it for the next night. No mask. No hose. No implanted battery.
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when your airway collapses during sleep, blocking airflow and causing repeated breathing interruptions. For many patients, the tongue falls backward, narrowing or completely closing the airway.
Genio addresses this problem directly. The system delivers gentle stimulation to the hypoglossal nerve.
This stimulation causes your tongue to move forward slightly, so that your airway remains open. Because the stimulation is bilateral, affecting both sides of the tongue at the same time, it creates balanced forward movement. This balanced movement of the tongue opens the airway behind the tongue and also results in a forward pull on the soft palate to open the airway further.
The stimulation is customized to your needs and adjusted over time to maximize effectiveness while remaining comfortable enough that it doesn’t disrupt your sleep.
Genio may be right for you if:
Dr. Weiner evaluates each patient individually, reviewing sleep studies, medical history, and airway anatomy to determine if Genio offers the best solution for your specific situation.
Meet the Expert
Dr. Jordan Weiner became Arizona’s first surgeon to perform the Nyxoah Genio procedure in January 2026, bringing this newly approved therapy to patients throughout the Southwest who have struggled with traditional treatments.
As a nationally recognized leader in sleep apnea surgery and hypoglossal nerve stimulation, Dr. Weiner has performed more than one thousand airway procedures. His expertise in nerve stimulation therapies, combined with his commitment to staying current with emerging treatments, ensures his patients have access to the most advanced solutions available.
Dr. Weiner serves on advisory panels and leads multicenter research studies in sleep apnea treatment. His approach emphasizes selecting the right therapy for each individual patient based on their unique anatomy, health history, and treatment goals.
Read more about Jordan Weiner, MD
Genio placement is performed as an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia. The surgery typically takes about 45-60 minutes. Dr. Weiner makes a small incision in the natural crease beneath your chin to access the placement site. The neurostimulator is positioned under the skin, and the leads are connected to the hypoglossal nerve branches on both sides.
Most patients go home the same day and can return to regular activities within a few days.
Recovery from Genio is generally straightforward. You’ll experience some swelling and discomfort under your chin for the first several days, managed with prescribed pain medication. Many patients describe the discomfort as mild compared to throat-based procedures.
The device remains inactive for eight weeks to allow proper healing. At your activation appointment, Dr. Weiner turns on the device and begins the adjustment process. Over the following weeks and months, settings are fine-tuned to achieve the optimal balance between effectiveness and comfort.
Clinical research from the DREAM study demonstrates encouraging outcomes. More than 63 percent of patients experienced a meaningful reduction in their apnea-hypopnea index, while 71 percent saw significant improvement in oxygen saturation during sleep. The median AHI reduction exceeded 70 percent.
Particularly noteworthy: Genio functions effectively regardless of sleeping position, including back sleeping when apnea events are typically most severe.
Like all sleep apnea treatments, Genio doesn’t guarantee complete elimination of apnea events for every patient. However, most who respond to therapy experience substantial improvement in sleep quality, daytime function, and overall health markers associated with untreated sleep apnea.
Both Genio and Inspire therapy use hypoglossal nerve stimulation, but several key differences distinguish these therapies:
Bilateral vs. Unilateral Stimulation: Genio stimulates both sides of the tongue, while Inspire stimulates one side. This bilateral approach may offer advantages for certain collapse patterns.
External vs. Implanted Generator: Genio’s generator remains external and requires nightly application and daily charging. Inspire’s generator is fully implanted in your chest and will require future surgery to replace the battery.
Evaluation Requirements: Both devices require drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) to confirm appropriate collapse patterns.
Concentric Collapse: Genio may be implanted in patients with concentric airway collapse per FDA guidelines but insurance coverage for patients with concentric collapse can be more difficult and decided on a case-by-case basis. Inspire cannot be implanted in patients with concentric airway collapse.
Dr. Weiner will discuss these differences during your consultation to help you understand which therapy aligns best with your anatomy, lifestyle, and preferences.
Genio therapy is FDA-approved and covered by most major insurance plans, including Medicare. Coverage requirements vary by insurer, but most require documented diagnosis of moderate to severe OSA through a sleep study and evidence of CPAP failure or intolerance.
If we determine you’re a good candidate for Genio, Dr. Weiner’s staff will review your coverage and navigate the approval process. For patients interested in private pay options, we can discuss specific costs during your consultation.
While Dr. Weiner is the first Arizona surgeon to offer Genio therapy, he never recommends it automatically. Treatment planning begins with a complete evaluation of your individual situation and health.
Sometimes Genio provides the ideal solution. Other times, Inspire Therapy better matches your needs. Some patients benefit more from surgical approaches like pharyngoplasty or AIRLIFT. And occasionally, a combination of procedures delivers optimal results.
Your consultation explores every possibility so you can make an informed decision about your care based on facts, not assumptions.
If you’re exhausted from poor sleep and frustrated that CPAP hasn’t worked, Genio therapy might offer the relief you’ve been seeking. Schedule a consultation to learn whether this next-generation nerve stimulation therapy could help you breathe easier and sleep better.
Quality sleep is possible. Solutions exist.
The Genio system consists of a small neurostimulator implanted under your chin and an external activation chip that attaches to a patch on your skin each night. The chip wirelessly powers the implant, which delivers gentle stimulation to both sides of the hypoglossal nerve. This bilateral stimulation moves your tongue forward, keeping your airway open during sleep without requiring a mask or breathing machine.
Candidates typically have moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (AHI between 15 and 65 events per hour) and have been unable to tolerate or achieve success with CPAP therapy. Your airway anatomy and collapse pattern also factor into candidacy. Dr. Weiner performs a complete evaluation including review of your sleep study, medical history, and physical examination to determine if Genio therapy is appropriate for you.
The outpatient procedure takes approximately 45 minutes under general anesthesia. Dr. Weiner makes a small incision beneath your chin to position the neurostimulator and connect it to the hypoglossal nerve branches. The incision is closed with dissolvable sutures. Most patients go home the same day.
The procedure is performed in a licensed surgery center or hospital.
After Genio placement, most patients experience mild to moderate discomfort and swelling under the chin, which typically resolves within a week with prescribed medication. Swallowing is generally not affected. We recommend avoiding strenuous activity for two weeks to allow proper healing. Many patients return to desk work within a few days.
The Genio device remains off for four to six weeks to allow healing. Activation occurs during an outpatient visit where Dr. Weiner programs your initial settings. Results typically emerge gradually over the following weeks as settings are optimized. Most patients notice meaningful improvement in sleep quality within the first few months of therapy. A follow-up sleep study is performed to objectively measure your improvement.
Treatment costs vary depending on your insurance coverage and individual circumstances. Genio is covered by most major insurance plans, including Medicare, when medically necessary. Dr. Weiner’s staff works with your insurance company to obtain authorization and can provide private pay pricing information if needed.
Yes. Genio’s external activation chip requires nightly charging when you’re not using it. Most patients incorporate this into their bedtime routine, similar to charging a phone. The chip attaches to a disposable adhesive patch under your chin, which you apply before bed and remove in the morning.
Both therapies use hypoglossal nerve stimulation but differ in key ways. Genio stimulates both sides of the tongue rather than one, uses an external generator rather than an implanted battery, doesn’t require drug-induced sleep endoscopy for evaluation, and can benefit patients with concentric collapse patterns. Your consultation with Dr. Weiner will explore which therapy better matches your anatomy and preferences.
While Genio shows promising results in clinical studies, no treatment achieves 100 percent success. If Genio doesn’t provide adequate improvement, other options remain available. The presence of the Genio implant doesn’t prevent additional treatments, including surgical procedures or combination approaches. Dr. Weiner will discuss contingency planning during your consultation.
Yes. Some patients benefit from combining Genio with other airway procedures, such as nasal surgery or palate modifications, performed either simultaneously or in stages. Dr. Weiner evaluates whether a combined approach serves you best based on where your airway obstruction occurs and how severe it is.
Dr. Weiner became Arizona’s first surgeon to perform Genio procedures, demonstrating his commitment to bringing the latest proven therapies to his patients. With more than 20 years of experience in sleep apnea surgery and extensive expertise in hypoglossal nerve stimulation therapies, he brings both surgical skill and deep clinical knowledge to every case. His practice focuses specifically on sleep apnea treatment, giving him specialized insight that general ENT surgeons may not possess. Most importantly, he takes time to carefully evaluate each patient and recommend the specific treatment that matches their individual needs rather than defaulting to any single approach.
