Well-done randomized trials offer the highest-quality scientific evaluation of any medical intervention. Unfortunately, randomized trials of surgical interventions are extremely difficult to perform, for numerous reasons. In sleep surgery, there have been a number of randomized trials showing that surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea can offer important benefits that matter to patients. These include… Read more »

One of the many benefits of working at an academic medical center is the opportunity to work with residents and fellows, where I am often explaining the research evidence supporting the decisions I make in taking care of patients. In every field of medicine, there are decisions that we make in the absence of perfect… Read more »

A recent article published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine showed that a lower proportion of published articles in sleep medicine were systematic reviews or meta-analyses. The authors suggested that systematic reviews and meta-analyses were underused in sleep medicine. Normally, this would not be cause for alarm, but I was prompted to speak up…. Read more »

Even 7 years after its 2014 FDA approval, Inspire Upper Airway Stimulation remains an interesting option for patients with obstructive sleep apnea who do not tolerate positive airway pressure therapy. We have adopted many innovations related to surgical implantation, including the use of the recently-approved surgical technique reducing the number of incisions from 3 to… Read more »

After wondering aloud whether medical conferences and courses would all become virtual in a previous blog post, it is wonderful to announce that we are heading back to in-person meetings. We are excited that our 27 th Annual Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Apnea and Snoring course will be held in San… Read more »

Readers of this blockage will know that I have written often about drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) as an important evaluation for patients with obstructive sleep apnea who cannot tolerate CPAP well. One of the unique benefits of DISE is the assessment of whether the epiglottis might be a cause of obstructive sleep apnea, in that… Read more »

Periodically, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requests reviews of technologies used in medical care in the United States. CMS requested an updated review of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) through AHRQ’s Evidence-based Practice Centers program…. Read more »

Because of my career-long focus and unique experience in the combination of sleep surgery and sleep medicine, patients from around the country or other countries often reach out for an evaluation or for surgery. Because of the logistical challenges and costs of in-person visits, I have offered video consults for many years. These remote evaluations… Read more »

One of the wonderful things about moving home to Los Angeles and joining the team at the University of Southern California is my family’s connection to the University that dates back over 100 years. My mother is a USC graduate (undergraduate and graduate school), and she has been an active supporter of USC as an… Read more »

Inspire Medical Systems received FDA approval in 2014 for their Upper Airway Stimulation therapy to treat obstructive sleep apnea, and we were the first center in the Western United States to offer this treatment to patients after that approval. We have a substantial experience with this therapy here and have always felt it essential to… Read more »