Chulalongkorn Hospital succeeds with first HGNS surgery in Thailand for sleep apnea

King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital leads the way in Thailand with successful Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation surgery for obstructive sleep apnea, improving patient quality of life.

King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital's medical team has achieved a significant milestone with the successful implementation of Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation (HGNS) surgery to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in Thailand. This makes the hospital the first in Thailand and the fourth in Asia to carry out this advanced procedure, marking a key development in expanding treatment options for patients.

The HGNS technique has been previously used in Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong, but King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital now leads in the region with this breakthrough. The surgery aims to help patients who have not responded well to traditional treatments like Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP).

Assoc Prof Dr Naricha Chirakalwasan, Head of the Excellence Center for Sleep Disorders at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital and President of the Sleep Society of Thailand, emphasised the importance of good sleep for physical, mental, and emotional health. She highlighted that OSA affects around 14% of the general population, with symptoms such as loud snoring, frequent waking at night, and excessive daytime drowsiness. OSA increases the risk of severe health conditions such as cardiovascular diseases.

The main treatment for OSA is CPAP, but many patients find it difficult to tolerate, prompting the search for new, effective, and safer treatments. HGNS provides an alternative that is efficient, minimally invasive, and offers a faster recovery time.

Asst Prof Dr Natamon Charakorn, Head of the Sleep Otolaryngology Department at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, explained that HGNS is a highly effective new technique for the respiratory tract. The procedure involves implanting a small device near the chest muscles that sends electrical signals to the hypoglossal nerve, specifically to the genioglossus muscle, which controls tongue movement. This action helps to move the tongue forward to keep the airway open. The device also detects chest movements during breathing to help maintain an open airway. The electrical energy delivered can be adjusted for each patient, and patients can easily turn the device on and off with a remote control before sleeping and upon waking.

Assoc Prof Dr Chanchai Sittipunt, Director of King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, summarised that this success is great news, as the Chulalongkorn medical team has successfully implemented the HGNS technique to treat patients with moderate to severe OSA. This provides an effective new treatment option for patients. However, patients interested in this treatment must undergo an assessment by a specialist doctor and meet the specified criteria to ensure the safety and highest effectiveness of the treatment.

King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital will offer HGNS treatment in the near future. Patients who are interested can follow updates on this innovative treatment through the hospital’s news channels.