It is time again for a post about highlights from our annual sleep apnea and snoring course. This year, we had over 200 in attendance, and I learned so much from colleagues. I always focus on nonsurgical topics because this course uniquely combines surgical and nonsurgical content, with the nonsurgical talks often including information that…
One of the real joys of my career has been the opportunity to train colleagues who then pursue their own careers and interests, with incredible achievements. This month I am writing about a study performed by Dr. Natamon (Front) Charakorn, a Thai surgeon who spent 6 months with me when I was at USC. She… Read more »Mouth tape may have benefit for CPAP users with mouth breathing
Dr. Kezirian’s Blog
Lipofuscin and muscle dysfunction in sleep apnea
In some ways, the throat can be loosely defined as a tube for breathing, swallowing, and speaking. During wakefulness, the muscles that surround the throat have a certain level of activation that keeps the throat open. During sleep, there is a decrease in the level of nerve signals that activate muscles in the body. In… Read more »
Why do some patients still have sleep apnea after maxillomandibular advancement?
Maxillomandibular advancement is recommended as an effective treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea, with the best candidates typically younger and with lower body mass index. On average, about 80-85% of individuals who undergo this procedure achieve a marked improvement in their sleep apnea and do not need to use other therapies like positive airway pressure… Read more »
ISSS 2025 Annual Meeting Notes
I just returned from the International Surgical Sleep Society 2025 Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana. Neurostimulation was definitely on the agenda, as it is the most significant area of new technology applied to the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. I thought I would devote this post to various approaches and the most recent research findings…
Drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) has demonstrated that some patients may have the epiglottis playing a significant role in contributing to their obstructive sleep apnea, separate from other structures like the tongue or oropharyngeal lateral walls that secondarily cause airway obstruction behind the epiglottis. The VOTE Classification that Winfried Hohenhorst, Nico de Vries, and I developed…
NOTE: I was a paid Nyxoah consultant, reviewing preoperative drug-induced sleep endoscopy videos for their clinical trials. Based on this work, I was a coauthor on the paper reporting results of the DREAM trial. I have written previously about the Genio system from Nyxoah and aura6000 system from Livanova, including an update on their clinical trials…
Hypoglossal nerve stimulation has been a major breakthrough in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea for patients unable to tolerate positive airway pressure therapy. Inspire Medical Systems had the first technology approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2014, and I was the first surgeon in the Western United States to offer this…
The Upper Airway Stimulation system from Inspire Medical Systems has been an important and effective treatment option for many patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Like any procedure or technology, there are potential important risks to consider. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) maintains the publicly-available Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience… Read more »Anteroposterior and Lateral Epiglottis-Related Obstruction in OSA
Nyxoah Genio: DREAM Study Results and FDA Approval!
Inspire V System now available at UCLA
Respiratory sensing lead risks with the Inspire IV system
Reducing sleepiness with Inspire hypoglossal nerve stimulation: efficacy and adherence are both important
Hypoglossal nerve stimulation with the Inspire Upper Airway Stimulation system has been a major advance in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. Most studies examining outcomes – including important research on drug-induced sleep endoscopy and Inspire therapy outcomes where we have played a key role – has focused on how well the system works when… Read more »
Santa Monica Office
Beverly Hills Office
