International Surgical Sleep Society Endorses Hyoid Suspension for Sleep Apnea Treatment

AIRLIFT^® Emerges as the most effective, FDA-Cleared Hyoid Suspension System for Managing Obstructive Sleep Apnea

LOS GATOS, Calif., May 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a rigorous review of clinical research, the International Surgical Sleep Society (ISSS) recently published a position statement supporting hyoid suspension as a safe and effective approach in the medical and surgical management of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). From the position statement:

"Hyoid myotomy/suspension (HS), whether performed separately or combined with other upper airway procedures, is considered effective and non-investigational as part of the comprehensive surgical management of symptomatic adult patients with mild obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and adult patients with moderate and severe OSA assessed as having tongue base or hypopharyngeal obstruction."

The ISSS position notes four decades of clinical research demonstrating the viability of hyoid suspension as an effective treatment for OSA, including referencing a 2021, multi-center study from Van Tassel et al using AIRLIFT techniques for a series of thirty-nine patients undergoing hyoid myotomy and suspension combined with uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. 76.9% patients had surgical success with a mean AHI reduction of 69%, from 49.9 +/-25.6 to 15.4 +/-14.9 (p < .001)¹.

The clinical benefits of hyoid suspension are achieved more controllably, easily and quickly than ever through AIRLIFT®, which utilizes the Encore System from Siesta Medical to provide a less-invasive, well-controlled approach to HS.

"AIRLIFT offers a unique alternative for patients who failed CPAP, have epiglottic collapse or do not qualify for hypoglossal nerve stimulation, or who simply are looking for an OSA treatment option whose treatment action doesn't require any additional patient action," said Peter Martin, CEO of Siesta Medical, which manufactures AIRLIFT and the Encore System. "Historically, hyoid suspension approaches for treating these patients have been viewed as difficult or dependent on appropriate patient anatomy for success. AIRLIFT hyoid suspension helps to correct both these issues, and the position statement from ISSS offers additional confidence in the effectiveness of the procedure."

AIRLIFT hyoid suspension is minimally invasive and well-tolerated, and is significantly more cost-effective than alternative stimulation implants. The procedure involves advancing the hyoid bone and suspending it with two miniature implants and suture. Due to the muscle attachments on the hyoid bone, the procedure allows a narrow or blocked airway to open and become more stable during sleep. The procedure can prevent epiglottic collapse by tensioning the hyoepiglottic ligament, tensioning the lateral airway walls, and anteriorly displacing the tongue base. Patients who get the AIRLIFT Hyoid Suspension procedure as part of a multilevel treatment plan see a median 74% improvement in sleep apnea obstructions.¹

Learn more about the benefits of AIRLIFT or access the full ISSS position statement here.

About Siesta Medical
Siesta™ Medical is a privately held medical device company founded in 2009 that focuses on a simple, effective, and lasting treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). To perform the AIRLIFT^® procedure, Siesta Medical designed the Encore™ System and the Revolution™ Suture Passer, an integrated suite of instruments and implants designed to streamline hyoid and tongue suspension, enable efficient, simple implantation, decrease intraoperative time, and provide durable, positive outcomes. www.siestamedical.com

Source

1. Van Tassel, et.al. Hyoid Suspension with UPPP for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Ear, Nose & Throat Journal. 2021 Mar; 1-8

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SOURCE Airlift- Siesta Medical