Advanced Care for Sleep Disorders

At Northwest HealthCare’s Sleep Disorders Center, patients have access to advanced diagnostics and treatments to get them back to a good night’s rest.

The Sleep Disorders Center, located on the campus of Northwest HealthCare, is nationally accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and has served the community for more than 35 years. Its team of registered polysomnographers and sleep technicians are dedicated to diagnosing a wide array of sleep disorders. Sleep problems can disrupt your life and can also indicate serious, underlying medical issues.

Sleep studies may be conducted in our comfortable sleep lab or in your home with a wearable device. The Sleep Disorders Center treats a wide range of sleep problems and coordinates a customized treatment plan for each patient.

In 2022, Christian Hospital welcomed a new Washington University ear, nose and throat (ENT) physician, Miranda Lindburg, MD. In addition to offering general ENT surgery, Dr. Lindburg has a special focus on obstructive sleep apnea surgery.

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when a collapse of the upper airway makes a person unable to breathe adequately at night. It is typically treated through either continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or a mandibular advancement device, an oral device that moves the jaw forward to help clear the obstruction. However, these treatments may not be the best fit for all patients. In those cases, hypoglossal nerve stimulation, a new surgical procedure, might offer a great alternative.

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation involves an outpatient surgery with just two small incisions. Small wires are placed underneath the skin that connect to the nerve that controls the tongue. When the patient is ready to go to sleep, they place a small remote on their chest that begins the therapy following a short delay. Every time the patient attempts to breathe in, the therapy helps move their tongue out of the airway. This innovative approach has shown an 80% reduction in the severity of patients’ sleep apnea.

“We know that CPAP is the best treatment for sleep apnea. However, there are so many patients who are unable to tolerate CPAP. For the longest time, we didn’t have many other options,” shares Dr. Lindburg. “This is a good surgical option for many people that can really reduce their sleep apnea and give them their quality of life back. We know sleep apnea also causes so many cardiac, cognitive, neurologic and lung problems. For people who weren’t able to be treated, it’s nice to know there’s something else they can turn to.”

If you or a loved one are experiencing sleep problems, speak to your doctor. For more information about the Sleep Disorders Center, visit ChristianHospital.org/Sleep or call 314.953.6774.