Inspire Medical Systems offers an implant similar to a pacemaker for the treatment of sleep apnea without a mask. The Inspire Medical System sleep apnea implant consists of a four-part system, remote, breathing sensor, stimulation lead, and pulse generator. A small device is placed just under the patient's skin during a short outpatient procedure. It delivers gentle stimulation to key airway muscles during sleep, allowing the airway to remain open. The patient simply turns the implant on with the Inspire Sleep remote before bedtime and off when it's wake up time.

This purchase is exempt from the usual selection processes of the Procurement Code because the procurement expenditure is for medical supplies or medical services necessary for the delivery of care and treatment at medical, dental, or veterinary teaching facilities utilized by SIU or U of I (30 ILCS 500 / 1-13(b-5)) Inspire Medical Systems implants are used in direct patient care. Without access to the closure device the hospital would not be able to offer certain surgical procedures that require this type of item and care, which in turn would drive patients elsewhere and a loss in revenue to the hospital.