Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulator Placement
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jun 2, 2025.
A hypoglossal nerve stimulator (HNS) is a device used to help manage obstructive sleep apnea. The hypoglossal nerve controls the tongue muscles. HNS helps improve breathing during sleep.
DISCHARGE INSTRUCTIONS:
Call your local emergency number (911 in the US), or have someone call if:
- You have sudden chest pain, shortness of breath, and a rapid heart rate.
- Your lips, skin, or nails turn blue or gray.
Seek care immediately if:
- You have a fever.
- Blood soaks through your bandage.
- Your incisions become swollen, red, more painful, or have pus coming from them.
- You have severe bruising close to an incision site.
- You develop a lump filled with fluid under your skin at an incision site.
- Your stitches come apart.
- You become confused or feel faint.
Call your doctor or surgeon if:
- You have pain at an incision site.
- Your symptoms return or get worse.
- You have new pain or new symptoms with stimulation.
- You feel like you are being shocked with the stimulator on or off.
- You have questions or concerns about your condition or care.
Medicines:
You may need any of the following:
- Antibiotics may be given to prevent or treat a bacterial infection.
- Prescription pain medicine may be given. Ask your healthcare provider how to take this medicine safely. Some prescription pain medicines contain acetaminophen. Do not take other medicines that contain acetaminophen without talking to your healthcare provider. Too much acetaminophen may cause liver damage. Prescription pain medicine may cause constipation. Ask your healthcare provider how to prevent or treat constipation.
- Take your medicine as directed. Contact your healthcare provider if you think your medicine is not helping or if you have side effects. Tell your provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Keep a list of the medicines, vitamins, and herbs you take. Include the amounts, and when and why you take them. Bring the list or the pill bottles to follow-up visits. Carry your medicine list with you in case of an emergency.
Self-care:
- Apply ice as directed. Ice helps decrease swelling and pain. Ice may also help prevent tissue damage. Use an ice pack, or put crushed ice in a plastic bag. Cover the bag with a towel and place it on your incision sites for 15 to 20 minutes every hour or as directed.
- Care for your incision sites. Ask when you can remove your bandages. Gently clean the sites with soap and water. Do not rub the sites. Do not take a bath, swim, or get in a hot tub until your healthcare provider says these are okay. Keep the areas clean and dry. Gently pat the areas dry and put on new, clean bandages, if directed. Check for signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, or pus.
- Limit upper body activities as directed. You may need to limit neck, arm, and shoulder movement until your incision sites heal. This may take up to 2 weeks. Ask your provider about exercises you can do safely while you have the HNS.
How to care for your device:
- Your healthcare provider will give you an identification card with information about your device. Keep this with you at all times. Show the card to all your healthcare providers. Tell them you have an implanted HNS. Some tests and procedures may damage the HNS.
- Limit activities that may cause damage to the device area, such as contact sports. Ask your healthcare provider before you scuba dive or enter a hyperbaric chamber.
Follow up with your doctor or surgeon as directed:
You will need to return to have your stitches removed and the device checked. You will also need a sleep test 1 to 2 months after your HNS was turned on. Healthcare providers will test how the HNS is working, check for problems, and adjust device settings, if needed. Write down your questions so you remember to ask them during your visits.
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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.
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