Tampa General Hospital and USF Health Among First U.S. Sites to Offer New Inspire V System for Treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Tampa General, with USF Health, has completed 12 Inspire V implant surgeries and more than 500 Inspire therapy implants overall, further solidifying the academic health system as a leader in treating moderate to severe sleep apnea with this minimally invasive device.

Tampa, FL (June 24, 2025) – Tampa General Hospital (TGH) and the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, home to one of Florida's oldest and largest academic medicine sleep program, are among the first 11 sites in the United States to participate in the limited market release of the next-generation neurostimulation device for the treatment of sleep apnea, the Inspire V therapy system from Inspire Medical Systems.

The principal participants in the release of the Inspire V system are Dr. Tapan Padhya, chief of the TGH Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Institute, professor and chair of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and co-director of the USF ENT Sleep and Snoring Center and Dr. Abhay Sharma, assistant professor and director of the Division of Interventional Sleep Surgery at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. Padhya’s and Sharma’s expertise and leadership have been instrumental in the successful completion of more than 500 Inspire therapy implants, including 12 utilizing the Inspire V implant. This achievement solidifies the sleep disorders program at Tampa General and USF Health as a frontrunner in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with innovative technology.

“We are proud to have been a part of the limited market release of the Inspire V system prior to its recent full launch at sites across the U.S.,” Padhya said. “This innovative technology represents a significant leap forward in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, and it’s an honor for our team of premier sleep specialists to be at the forefront of this advancement.”

“At Tampa General and USF Health, we are dedicated to leading the way in sleep medicine advancements,” Sharma said. “The Inspire V system not only enhances the efficiency of the procedure but also significantly improves patient comfort and adherence. We are proud to be among the first to offer this groundbreaking therapy.”

Tampa General and USF Health have been at the forefront of providing Inspire therapy, the only implant the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved to treat OSA and one of the few alternatives to using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. This pacemaker-like device is surgically placed underneath the skin near the collarbone and is operated by the patient via a remote control. It works inside the body to treat the root cause of OSA by stimulating the hypoglossal nerve, which controls the muscles of the tongue, thereby enabling regular breathing and sound sleep. The Inspire V system is an advancement in Inspire therapy, featuring a new integrated respiratory sensor that eliminates the need for a separate sensing lead. This allows respiratory sensing to occur directly inside the implant. Unlike the previous Inspire IV, which required three implantable components – the Inspire device, a stimulation lead and a respiratory sensing lead – Inspire V requires only two components: the Inspire device and the stimulation lead. This reduction in components simplifies the procedure. Additionally, Inspire V offers enhanced programmability, including advanced diagnostic home and in-hospital testing, enabling physicians to better tailor the therapy to meet individual patient needs, thereby enhancing comfort and promoting adherence.

Padhya was a key contributor to Inspire’s STAR trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine and which resulted in FDA approval of Inspire in 2014. In addition to adult patients, Inspire is approved to treat pediatric patients diagnosed with Down syndrome and sleep apnea. Sharma performed Florida’s first successful Inspire implant surgery on a pediatric patient in 2023.

“Being one of the first 11 sites in the United States to utilize the Inspire V system underscores our commitment to pioneering cutting-edge treatments for sleep apnea,” Padhya said. “Our participation in this limited market release is a testament to our dedication to improving patient outcomes through advanced medical technology."

U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals list for 2024-2025 ranks Tampa General’s ENT program #1 in Florida and #31 in the United States. Tampa General’s Sleep Disorders Center was one of the first centers in the U.S. to be accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and offers assessment and continuing care for adults and children suffering from an assortment of sleeping disorders.