Siesta Medical out of Los Gatos, California won FDA approval for its Encore Tongue Suspension System for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.
The system, which raises the tongue to clear obstruction of the upper airway, takes about 45 minutes for an ENT specialist to implant and can be done with local or general anesthesia.
The Encore™ System consists of two parts: a tongue suspension loop and a bone anchor. The tongue suspension loop is placed into the tongue with a specially designed suture passer which allows the procedure to be performed through a small incision under the chin. The suspension loop is then connected to the bone anchor which enables the tongue to be gently advanced out of the airway by your doctor. Advancing the tongue prevents it from falling back and blocking the airway during sleep but does not cause swallowing problems. In some cases, the doctor may decide to place more than one suspension loop to better advance the tongue.
Link to animation demonstrating implantation of the Encore…
Press release: Siesta Medical Receives 510(k) Clearance for Encore™ System to Treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Product page: Encore System…
