METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TREATMENT OF SLEEP APNEA

A method for treatment of sleep-apnea syndrome in a patient is disclosed as including mointoring inspiratory effort and generating electrical signals in response to the step of monitoring in order to stimulate those nerves which activate the patient's upper airway muscles to contract in order to maintain upper airway patency. A system (10) for such treatment is disclosed as including a monitor (14) capable of monitoring inspiratory effort, and an elecrtrical signal generating mechanism (16) coupled to the monitor (14) for generating electrical signals, to affect the patient's upper airway muscles in order to thereby maintain upper airway patency.