Could zapping nerves or muscles help you breathe better at night?
NCT ID NCT06627127
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether stimulating certain nerves or muscles in the throat can improve breathing in people with obstructive sleep apnea. Researchers placed temporary electrodes and measured airflow during sleep in 35 adults. The goal was to see if this approach is feasible and could reduce apnea events.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- electrical stimulation device
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a new treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea that uses targeted nerve or muscle stimulation.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early proof-of-concept study with only 35 participants. It focuses on feasibility and short-term effects, so results may not lead to a widely available treatment.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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35 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Nov 2023
- Finished
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Jan 2025
- Lead sponsor
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A company
The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: A subject must meet all of the following inclusion criteria to be eligible for inclusion in this study: * Age above 18 years not under guardianship, under curatorship or under judicial protection. * Body Mass Index (BMI) \< 35 kg/m2. * OSA (15 \< AHI \< 80 events/h sleep) documented by a sleep study performed during the past 24 months in the absence of any major weight change or other medical issues. * Subject must be eligible for a diagnostic DISE or surgical procedure (acute study measures only). * Written informed consent obtained from the subject prior to performing any study specific procedure. * Willing and capable to comply with all study requirements, including specific lifestyle considerations, evaluation procedures and questionnaires for the whole duration of the trial. Exclusion Criteria: Subjects meeting any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study: * Major anatomical or functional abnormalities that would impair the ability of the electrode arrays to be positioned. * Significant comorbidities that contraindicate surgery or general anesthesia/DISE * Significant tongue weakness * Any other chronic medical illness or condition that contraindicates a surgical procedure or general anesthesia/DISE in the judgment of the investigator. * Prior surgery or treatments that could compromise the placement and effectiveness of the electrode array systems: * Airway cancer surgery or radiation, * Mandible or maxilla surgery in the previous 3 years (not counting dental treatments), * Other upper airway surgery to remove obstructions related to OSA in the previous 3 months (e.g., uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), tonsillectomy, nasal airway surgery), * Prior hypoglossal nerve stimulation device implantation. * Currently pregnant, or breastfeeding during the study period
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health, Flinders University
Adelaide, South Australia, 5042, Australia
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Complete ENT
Brisbane, Queensland, 4000, Australia
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Illawara ENT
Wollongong, New South Wales, 2500, Australia
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Perth Head and Neck Surgery
Perth, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
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