title: Positive airway pressure and electrical stimulation methods for obstructive sleep apnea treatment: a patent review (2005 - 2014).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is a major health problem with significant negative effects on the health and quality of life. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is currently the primary treatment option and it is considered the most effective therapy for OSAHS. Nevertheless, comfort issues due to improper fit to patient's changing needs and breathing gas leakage limit the patient's adherence to treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present patent review describes recent innovations in the treatment of OSAHS related to optimization of the positive pressure delivered to the patient, methods and systems for continuous self-adjusting pressure during inspiration and expiration phases, and techniques for electrical stimulation of nerves and muscles responsible for the airway patency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the last few years, CPAP-related inventions have mainly focused on obtaining an optimal self-adjusting pressure according to patient's needs. Despite intensive research carried out, treatment compliance is still a major issue. Hypoglossal electrical nerve stimulation could be an effective secondary treatment option when CPAP primary therapy fails. Several patents have been granted focused on selective stimulation techniques and parameter optimization of the stimulating pulse waveform. Nevertheless, there remain important issues to address, like effectiveness and adverse events due to improper stimulation.
authors.affiliation: a 1 Universidad de Valladolid, Biomedical Engineering Group, E.T.S.I. Telecomunicación , Paseo de Belén 15, 47011 Valladolid, Spain +34 983185570 ; +34 983 423667 ; robhor@tel.uva.es.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Álvarez
authors.forename: Gonzalo C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Tobal
authors.forename: Félix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Del Campo
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hornero
mesh_terms: D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure / Q000379:methods*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000378:metabolism; D010330:Patents as Topic; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011788:Quality of Life; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: airflow limitation; continuous positive airway pressure; electrical nerve stimulation; hypoglossal nerve; obstructive respiratory event; obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome