If CPAP hasn’t been a successful treatment for your obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), Inspire therapy may be a good option for you. Many patients come to Dr. Jordan Weiner’s Scottsdale office feeling frustrated, exhausted, and unsure if they will ever get a good night’s sleep again. For those who are good candidates for Inspire, this FDA-approved treatment has helped thousands of people with moderate to severe OSA breathe easier and sleep better. No mask and no more nightly struggle.
Inspire is a small implantable device that works with your body’s natural breathing process. Placed during an outpatient procedure, it gently stimulates the hypoglossal nerve (the nerve that moves the tongue forward) helping to keep your airway open while you sleep. You just turn it on before bed using a handheld remote. There’s no mask and no hose.
The Inspire system monitors your breathing while you sleep. With each breath, it sends a mild stimulation to the nerve that controls your tongue, telling it to move forward. This helps keep the airway open so you don’t have obstruction. This stimulation is painless, and therapy is adjusted and fine-tuned so that effectiveness is maximized but comfortable.
Inspire may be right for you if:
Dr. Weiner evaluates each of his patients individually, reviewing sleep studies, medical history, and airway anatomy to determine if Inspire is the best option for your situation.
Meet the Expert
Dr. Weiner is a nationally recognized leader in Inspire therapy. He has performed more Inspire procedures than any other surgeon in the western United States and maintains a 95% success rate, which is significantly higher than the 80% national average.
As a lead investigator in national Inspire trials and advisor on research panels, Dr. Weiner brings both extensive surgical experience and deep clinical knowledge to every case.
Inspire placement is performed as an outpatient procedure and patients get to go home the same day. Most patients return to their regular activities within days. The device is placed under the skin in the chest and neck area through small incisions. The chest incision can now be placed near the arm pit for concealment if desired.
After a brief healing period, you’ll have your device activated and programmed. The settings are adjusted over time to achieve optimal results.
Inspire therapy offers lasting improvement. Clinical studies show that 75-80% of patients experience meaningful improvement in their sleep after Inspire. Even more encouraging, more than 90% continue to benefit from Inspire therapy every night, five years after the device was placed.
Inspire therapy is FDA-approved and covered by most private insurance plans. If we determine you’re a good candidate for Inspire therapy, Dr. Weiner’s staff will review your coverage and navigate the approval process. Should you be interested in private pay scenarios, let us know in your consultation so we can determine the cost for you.
While Dr. Weiner is an expert in Inspire therapy, he never recommends it automatically. All treatment plans start with fully reviewing the patient’s unique situation and health. Sometimes Inspire is the right answer. Sometimes another surgical approach makes more sense. And sometimes, a non-surgical option is best.
Your consultation will explore all possibilities so you can make an informed decision about your care.
If you or your loved one is struggling with CPAP intolerance, schedule a consultation to discuss whether Inspire therapy might be right for you. Quality sleep is possible, and solutions are available.
The Inspire OSA implantable device is an FDA-approved implantable device that monitors your breathing patterns during sleep. With each breath, it delivers gentle stimulation to the hypoglossal nerve, which keeps your airway open without requiring a mask or external machine.
Candidates have moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (AHI > 15), struggle with CPAP, and have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or less. A drug-induced sleep endoscopy is required to confirm there’s no complete concentric collapse of the palate.
The outpatient procedure takes about 45 minutes under general anesthesia. Dr. Weiner makes two small incisions: one just under the chin and a second in the right chest. The chest incision can now be placed near the armpit to conceal the scar if desired. Unlike traditional sleep apnea surgeries, no throat tissue is removed during the process.
The procedure is performed in a licensed surgery center or hospital.
After the Inspire device is in place, most patients experience mild discomfort rather than significant pain, typically resolving within 3-5 days with prescribed medication. Swallowing is not affected. We recommend avoiding strenuous activity for two weeks, though many patients return to desk work within a day or two.
The device remains off for the first four weeks to allow proper healing. Activation typically occurs during a simple outpatient visit, with most patients experiencing a gradual improvement over the following months. Maximum benefits typically appear by 3-6 months, with most patients reporting dramatically improved sleep quality and daytime energy levels due to open airway during sleep. You will find that this allows you to perform better at work and school, and in your community.
The complete treatment package typically ranges from $30,000 to $50,000, which includes the device, surgical fees, and facility costs. While this represents a significant investment, it’s often 20-30% less than comparable care in other developed countries, with the added benefit of working with a high-volume U.S. surgeon.
Yes, most domestic and international patients are cleared to fly three to five days post-operation. We provide complete travel documentation including a physician’s clearance letter and specific recommendations for comfortable travel during recovery.
The Inspire implant is completely safe for airport security screening and won’t trigger metal detectors. All patients receive a personalized identification card to carry when traveling.
The Inspire therapy is adjusted over time. After initial settings are selected by the physician in the office, the patient controls the stimulation intensity with a remote control. The intensity is very gradually increased over time to eventually reach an effective level while preventing therapy from disturbing sleep or causing discomfort.
Occasionally, the device requires additional programming by the physician in the office.
Dr. Weiner has performed nearly 600 successful Inspire implants, placing him in the top 1% of providers nationwide. We’ve developed specialized techniques to minimize recovery time and optimize outcomes.
