Could removing tonsils supercharge a sleep apnea implant?
NCT ID NCT07724938
First seen Jul 24, 2026 · Last updated Sep 17, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This trial tests whether removing the tonsils at the same time as implanting a hypoglossal nerve stimulator improves treatment for obstructive sleep apnea in adults whose airway collapses from the side during sleep. Participants are randomly assigned to receive the nerve stimulator either with or without tonsillectomy. The study measures changes in sleep-study results and airway stability to see if the combination offers greater benefit.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- a combination of tonsillectomy (surgical removal of the tonsils) and hypoglossal nerve stimulation (an implanted device that stimulates a nerve to keep the airway open during sleep)
- What this could lead to
- If the combination works better than nerve stimulation alone, it could offer a more effective surgical option for people with obstructive sleep apnea whose airway collapses from the side.
- What could go wrong
- This is a relatively small, early-stage trial, and the added benefit of tonsillectomy may be modest or absent. Tonsillectomy carries risks like bleeding, pain, and infection.
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
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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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About 72 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2026
- Expected to finish
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Feb 2031
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
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
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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: * Age ≥ 18 years * Diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 15 events/hour * Complete oropharyngeal lateral wall (OPLW) collapse identified on DISE * Candidate for HGNS implantation based on standard clinical criteria * Presence of small (1-2+) tonsils and eligibility for tonsillectomy * Untreated OSA at the time of enrollment * Willing and able to provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Absence of tonsils * Presence of large tonsils (3-4+; not eligible for HGNS) * Predominant central or mixed sleep apnea (\>25% central or mixed events) * Any unstable or serious medical condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would increase risk or interfere with study participation * Ineligibility for HGNS implantation based on standard clinical or surgical criteria * Inability to comply with study procedures or follow-up assessments
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Brigham and Women's Hospital
RECRUITINGBoston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States
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