Allegheny Health Network announced today it is the first health system in Western Pennsylvania to implant remedē, a pacemaker-like device that works to restore restful sleep for adult patients living with central sleep apnea

This groundbreaking therapy was made possible through a collaborative effort between the AHN Sleep Medicine Center and the AHN Cardiovascular Institute. The remedē device stimulates normal breathing rhythms with small electrical currents to the diaphragm and can also mitigate the need for continuous positive airway pressure systems and the masks that come with them.

The remedē device is implanted by a cardiac electrophysiologist during a minimally invasive outpatient procedure. The battery-powered system, positioned under the skin in the upper chest area, employs a thin lead to sense breathing patterns and administer stimulation therapy.

During sleep, the remedē system stimulates a nerve in the chest called the phrenic nerve that in turn sends signals to the diaphragm, the large muscle that controls breathing. Unlike devices used for obstructive sleep apnea, which focus on opening obstructed airways, the remedē device targets the regulation of breathing in central sleep apnea patients.