Background: Central sleep apnea (CSA) is a breathing disorder caused by the intermittent absence of central respiratory drive. Transvenous phrenic nerve stimulation is a new therapeutic option, recently approved by the FDA , for the treatment of CSA.
Objective: To describe the technique used to implant the transvenous phrenic nerve stimulation system (the remedē System, Respicardia, Inc).
Methods: The remedē System is placed in the pectoral region, typically on the right side. A single stimulation lead is placed in either the left pericardiophrenic vein (PPV) or the right brachiocephalic vein (RBC). A sensing lead is placed into the azygous vein to detect respiration.
Results: In the remedē System Pivotal trial, 147 of 151 (97%) patients were successfully implanted with the system. Sixty-two percent of stimulation leads were placed in the PPV and 35% in the RBC. Mean procedure time was 2.7 ± 0.8 hours and 94% of patients were free from implant-related serious adverse events through 6 months.
Conclusion: In patients with CSA, transvenous phrenic nerve stimulation is an effective and safe therapy with an implant procedure similar to that of cardiac implantable electronic devices.
Keywords: central sleep apnea; phrenic nerve; phrenic nerve stimulation; transvenous stimulation.
© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.