Tongue position controller as an alternative treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea

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The sleep-related reduction in upper airway muscle activity precipitates tongue collapse and leads to Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA). We hypothesize that OSA could be alleviated if the awake tongue position is maintained during sleep through the use of a newly-developed tongue position controller (TPC). The TPC, which incorporates a closed-loop system where the tongue is held by a custom-made tongue positioner together with continuously-applied negative pressure, improves the severity of OSA and subjective sleepiness. This approach offers a potential alternative for OSA treatment without the application of positive airway pressure and mandibular/tongue advancement.