Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulator

Post-Op:

• • Tylenol and Ibuprofen

  • Keflex x 5 days

  • Colace BID

DCI:

Inspire implantable treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea:

After Your Surgery

Your Kaiser Permanente Care Instructions

Inspire therapy is an implantable treatment option for patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea who are unable to use or get consistent benefit for Continuous Positive pressure Airway pressure (CPAP). Inspire monitors every breath you take while you are asleep. Based on your breathing patterns, the system delivers mild stimulation to the nerve that controls the movement of your tongue and other key airway muscles. By stimulating these muscles the airway remains open during sleep.

This care sheet gives you a general idea about how long it will take for you to recover. But each person recovers at a different pace. Follow the steps below to get better as quickly as possible.

You can expect to feel better and stronger each day. You may get tired easily or have less energy than usual. Rest as you need to, but staying comfortably active will help you heal.

How can you care for yourself at home?

Activity

For the first 48 hours after surgery, please restrict right arm movements to slow, small motions, as much as possible. Wearing the arm sling is advisable for the first 48 hours.

For 4 weeks, avoid any activities that require arm/shoulder motion greater than 90 degrees (arm must stay below shoulder level).

Do not pick up anything greater than 5 pounds with right hand/arm for 10 days. After 10 days, you may increase weight to 10 pounds.

Avoid any activity that requires extreme twisting of the neck.

No strenuous activity (running, jogging, lifting weights, gardening, sports) for 2 weeks or until cleared by physician.

You may walk for exercise starting the day after surgery.

Try to avoid sleeping on your right side, to the extent possible.

Bathing

Please wait until 5 days hours after surgery before getting incisions on neck, chest and torso wet. In the first 5 days after surgery, you will likely need to take sponge baths.

Diet

You can eat your normal diet. If your stomach is upset, try bland, low-fat foods like plain rice, broiled chicken, toast, and yogurt.

Medicine

You will be prescribed Tylenol and Ibuprofen for pain.  Please use as directed. 

Avoid aspirin for 7 days after surgery

Avoid direct heat (such as heating pads) to incision sites.

May gently place ice over surgery sites as needed. Please place a thin clean towel over skin first and then place ice bag over towel. Ice for 10 minutes at a time only.

Wound care

Please leave the dressings in place for 5 days. If they fall off before then, that is okay but do not remove them prior to 5 days.

Once the dressings are removed, start gently placing antibiotic ointment or vaseline over incisions 2 times per day

May place a clean bandage over incisions as needed.

After 5 days, you may get incisions wet with warm soap and water, but do not soak the incisions. Pat the area dry gently. Afterwards place antibiotic ointment or vaseline.

Take oral antibiotics as prescribed

Scar care

After incisions have healed, you will have a scar, which will continue to evolve over the course of 12 months. Caring for your incision scars will help them to be as minimal as possible.

If you are out in the sun with incision exposure, please remember to place sunscreen over the incision and surrounding skin.

You may use vitamin E or “Scar ointment/cream” to help soften scar. Please wait one month after surgery before starting this.

Post-operative Clinic Appointments

1 month: device activation and wound check in Dr. Durr’s office. Please call Dr. Durr’s clinic at 510-752-1115 if you do not already have this appointment

2 months: device titration sleep study at Martinez sleep lab and this has already been ordered – if you have not heard from the sleep lab team one month prior to this date, please call them at 925-313-4931 \

Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety.

As a partner in your health care, you can do things like keep all scheduled visits, be sure you know the results of all tests and labs ordered as part of your care, and keep an up-to-date personal list of the medicines you are taking. Know how to contact us between visits, and call your doctor or other health care professional if you have signs that you are having problems.

When should you call 911?

If you think you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately or seek other emergency services.

 An example of a symptom that may be an emergency is:

You pass out (lose consciousness).

You have chest pain.

When should you call your doctor or other health care professional?

You are sick to your stomach or cannot keep fluids down.

You have pain that does not get better after you take pain pills.

You have a fever over 100.4°F.

You have signs of infection, such as increasing tenderness, red streaks, or pus from your incision.

You have signs of a blood clot, such as unexplained pain or swelling in your leg.

You have trouble passing urine or stool.

You are not feeling better day by day.

You have any problems with your medicine.

If you develop any swelling, redness or drainage around any of your incision sites.

For post-operative questions or concerns:

Please contact your physician using a secure message via kp.org for non-urgent matters. Your physician will get back to you in 24-48 hours.

Contact the Head and Neck Surgery Department between 8:30am-5:00pm M-F at 510-752-1115. Listen to the choices on the recording. Select option 3, then option 3 again.

For after hours advice, please contact the KP advice line at 1-866-454-8855.