Sleep apnea device that could save lives by removing the tongue could be released on the NHS

A high-tech anti-snoring device could soon be available for free on the NHS following a successful trial.

The £500 device, called the eXciteOSA, hits the tongue and upper airway with a mild electrical current. Repeated use strengthens the muscles of the tongue, making it less likely to collapse during sleep, leading to snoring.

Experts say the device, which is worn in the mouth for 20 minutes a day, will be offered to some NHS patients after a successful pilot study.

It is designed to combat a condition called obstructive sleep apnea, where the muscles in the throat relax and block the airway. This briefly stops patients from being able to breathe and wakes them up. They can also snore extremely loudly.

Over time, repeated interruptions in the oxygen supply and sleep disruption can have life-threatening consequences, raising the levels of stress hormones in the body. Untreated sleep apnea is closely linked to serious health problems such as diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.

NHS patients are currently offered a treatment called continuous positive air pressure (CPAP), which involves wearing a face mask that blows air into your throat to keep it open while you sleep.

This can be uncomfortable, and treatment does not cure sleep apnea, it only reduces symptoms.

Some patients with the more aggressive forms of sleep apnea may be offered surgery to remove their tonsils in an attempt to help improve breathing, but this is rarely offered on the NHS.

The electrical currents from eXciteOSA are imperceptible to the user, but studies show that within six weeks it can strengthen the tongue and reduce the risk of it falling back during sleep.

The device, controlled via a mobile phone app, is needed just once a week to ensure the effects are maintained.

Mr Yousuf Saleem, an ear, nose and throat surgeon at St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust who led the trial, says: “There is a gap in NHS treatments for sleep apnea patients who cannot undergo surgery and he doesn’t want to try CPAP. And a lot of resources could be freed up by using devices like this to treat patients at home.”

An estimated 1.5 million Britons are living with sleep apnea. The biggest risk factor is weight, as excess body weight reduces the amount of space in the airways. Around 70 per cent of all patients are classified as obese and are usually told to lose weight before NHS treatment is offered.

The NHS trial of the eXciteOSA device enrolled 20 Britons with sleep apnea. Saleem found that 18 of them saw a significant reduction in symptoms, slept better, and had less shortness of breath. The study also found that the partners of the participants also slept considerably better because there was less snoring.

One patient who will benefit from the device is Richard Ballantine, 61, from Dorset, who had suffered from sleep apnea for over 26 years. He spent more than £8,000 on devices to combat the condition, but none proved effective.

He says: ‘I often fell asleep at work. I would have days when I wouldn’t be thinking straight. Not a great way to live your life’

He even started taking naps before getting in the car to drive long distances for fear of falling asleep at the wheel.

Despite the severity of his condition, Richard was told by the local NHS hospital that he could not get an appointment to assess whether a CPAP mask could help due to the long waiting list.

In 2021, Richard’s partner saw an ad for eXciteOSA online and suggested he try it out.

He says that within six weeks, he saw a major improvement in the amount of sleep he was getting.

‘I have a more active brain. I’m full of beans. Life is much more manageable and I am much happier.’