Dr. Douglas Gottschalk (pictured) at the WRMC ENT Clinic is now offering Inspire therapy, a breakthrough obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment option for those with difficulty using Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy.
OSA affects 22 million Americans. When left untreated, OSA can cause vehicle and workplace accidents, worsening mood and memory, stroke, heart attack, and even death. It occurs when the airway collapses during sleep and blocks the flow of oxygen to the brain. The brain senses a lack of oxygen and wakes the body up just long enough to take a breath, then falls back asleep. This cycle repeats throughout the night and causes poor, disruptive sleep.
Inspire works inside the body with a patient’s natural breathing process to treat sleep apnea. Mild stimulation opens the airway during sleep, allowing oxygen to flow naturally. The patient uses a small handheld remote to turn Inspire on before bed and off when they wake up.
The safety and efficacy of Inspire were evaluated during the STAR clinical trial. Five-year STAR trial outcomes showed patients using Inspire therapy experienced significant reductions in sleep apnea events and significant improvements in quality of life measures. As of May 2020, there have been over 100 peer-reviewed publications on Inspire therapy. These publications show results consistent with those seen in the STAR trial.
“In our practice, we see many patients who have stopped using or are unable to tolerate CPAP,” said Dr. Gottschalk. “Inspire therapy represents a significant advancement in treating sleep apnea. It is clinically proven to reduce sleep apnea events, has a high level of patient satisfaction and high therapy adherence. We are excited to offer this promising therapy to sleep apnea patients who struggle with CPAP.”
Dr. Gottschalk received a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences in Des Moines, Iowa. Dr. Gottschalk served in the Air Force as a Flight Surgeon at Whiteman AFB in Missouri prior to ENT training. He completed a General Surgery Internship and Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Residency at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. He then completed a fellowship in Pediatric Otolaryngology at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas.
To learn more about Inspire therapy, please visit InspireSleep.com or to request an appointment call an Inspire Advisor at (870) 705-3636. The WRMC ENT Clinic is located at 1700 Harrison Street, Suite H in Batesville. The clinic is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Sleep Medicine services are also available at WRHS to help diagnose sleeping disorders such as Sleep Apnea. For more information about Dr. Douglas Gottschalk, or Sleep Medicine services at WRHS, visit WhiteRiverHealthSystem.com.
