Sleep Apnea 鈥 Fuhgeddaboutit!
贰惫别苍听补听tough guy needs听丑颈s听sleep.
, an actor and 富二代成版人app patient, knows all about听it.听Throughout his career, Tony has played听on-screen听mobsters.听He played Sonny听Bunz听in听the movie 鈥淕oodfellas鈥 and听Larry Boy听Barese听in听the HBO hit, 鈥淭he Sopranos.鈥澨听听
Off-screen, however, Tony was feeling听less听tough.听
Tony听had severe sleep apnea,听a sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. He was experiencing听the classic symptoms:听daytime fatigue and disrupted, poor-quality听sleep at night.
Though听Tony had听been aware of the condition before undergoing an ablation procedure for his irregular heartbeat,听his surgeon听told听him听after听the procedure听that surgery听had to听be听paused听several times because the apnea obstructed his airway.
To address the sleep apnea,听Tony鈥檚 physician advised using听a CPAP machine.听
The machine听offers the patient听continuous positive airway pressure听(CPAP)听when听the patient wears听a face mask attached to a tube.听The tube then听connects to 补听machine that blows pressurized air into the mask and through the airway to keep it open.鈥It鈥檚 补听common听first-line treatment for sleep apnea,听but听not every patient tolerates听it.听
鈥淚 was gagging from the mouthpiece, and the hookups were uncomfortable,鈥 Tony recalls. 鈥淚 could hear the air coming out听while I听slept, and finally, I sent back the machine.鈥听
The next time Tony visited his听physician听in New Jersey, he was referred to Mari补听V.听Suurna,听MD, FACS听at 富二代成版人app.听
When听CPAP听is no longer an option, sleep apnea sufferers听can听turn to dental devices or surgical procedures.听Dr.听Suurna听performed a drug-induced sleep endoscopy to evaluate Tony鈥檚 airway听to determine the听most effective treatment.听Once she got a close look at听the anatomy of Tony鈥檚 airway, Dr.听Suurna听posed听something new.听
Dr.听Suurna听had been听performing a procedure听called Inspire,听since 2015. It鈥檚听an FDA-approved obstructive sleep apnea treatment that works inside the body while the patient sleeps.听Dr.听厂耻耻谤苍补鈥檚听plan was to听surgically implanting 补听neurostimulation听device in the side of the chest and neck. The tiny device听gently stimulates听muscles in the airway during sleep.听The patient turns it on at night before听bed, and either turns it off, or it turns off itself in the morning.听
鈥淢ost patients respond very well,鈥 Dr.听Suurna听says. 鈥Even our听very听first patient who underwent the procedure went from more than 50 events [sleep apnea disruptions] to zero when he went for his sleep study after the implantation.听Sleep apnea, whether it鈥檚 caused by the听patients鈥 own anatomy听or听neuromuscular tone, which听can change over time and with age, can worsen. Then听it听becomes听补听quality of life听issue.鈥听
For Tony, the post-Inspire quality of life improvement was immediate. After his first night using Inspire, he saw improvement.
鈥This is the best thing I have ever done in my life.听Everything has changed,鈥 Tony听explains. 鈥Now I鈥檓 not having trouble falling asleep, I can sleep for 11 or 12 hours, and I sleep very soundly with no noise.鈥听
Tony鈥檚 real-life response to听having parted with听CPAP?听鈥Fuhgeddaboutit.鈥听
No mask. No wires. And no听loud听machine听keeping him awake.听
A follow-up sleep study indicates that听Tony has听conquered the severe听sleep apnea thanks to Dr.听厂耻耻谤苍补鈥檚听surgical听intervention.听Pre-pandemic, he鈥檚听continued his on-screen work, night club and casino acts, and stand-up听with energy and joy鈥攁ll thanks to a tough guy getting 补听better night鈥檚 sleep.听