NBC News discusses the Inspire implant, a potential alternative to CPAP for some sleep apnea patients.

A clinical trial of Inspire therapy found a 78 percent reduction in the number of sleep apnea events per hour for patients.

“This is definitely an interesting solution for a good number of people,” said Capasso.

Inspire is an invasive procedure, so it is not recommended as a first-line treatment and not everyone is a candidate.

The price tag for the Inspire device is $20,000, with surgery costing extra. Insurance companies are reviewing requests on a case-by-case basis.

Ideal candidates for Inspire:

  • should be over the age of 22
  • have a diagnosis of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea
  • be unable to use or get consistent benefit from CPAP
  • not be significantly overweight

Get the whole story at www.nbcnews.com