NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County Expands Sleep Apnea Treatment with New Hypoglossal Nerve Implant Procedure

NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County Expands Sleep Apnea Treatment with New Hypoglossal Nerve Implant Procedure

Sep 02, 2026

NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County has expanded its sleep apnea treatment options with the introduction of a new procedure, the Hypoglossal Nerve Implant, providing eligible patients with access to an advanced surgical alternative to traditional therapies. Led by Dr. Mahmoud I. Awad, the procedure marks the first time a Hypoglossal Nerve Implant is being offered at Kings County Hospital and within the NYC Health + Hospitals System.

The procedure utilizes the FDA-approved Genio System, an implantable device designed to help maintain an open airway during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the airway repeatedly becomes blocked during sleep, interrupting breathing and affecting the quality of a patient's sleep. For some patients, conventional treatments such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may be difficult to tolerate or may not provide the desired results. Patients undergo a drug-induced sleep endoscopy as part of the evaluation process to determine whether they are appropriate candidates for the procedure.

The Genio System works by stimulating the hypoglossal nerve, which controls muscles involved in tongue movement. During sleep, stimulation of the nerve helps move the tongue forward, supporting an open airway and allowing for more consistent breathing throughout the night. The Genio System is implanted through a single incision beneath the chin during a procedure that may take up to three hours.

The procedure is generally performed on an outpatient basis, with most patients able to return home the same day. Following implantation, patients typically return approximately one week later for a postoperative visit to evaluate their recovery. The device is then activated approximately two months after implantation during a visit with the patient's sleep provider.

During the activation visit, patients are trained on how to use the system, including the activation chip, disposable patch and optional Genio Smartphone App. Once activated, the device delivers therapy throughout the night while the patient is sleeping. Patients can use the smartphone app to manage their therapy between appointments as directed by their health care provider, and receive ongoing follow-up to monitor device function and response to treatment.

"We are all really excited at Kings County to be the first and only NYC Health + Hospitals location currently offering this new surgical alternative for obstructive sleep apnea," said Mahmoud I. Awad, MD, Chief of Otolaryngology at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. "OSA is highly prevalent in our patient population here in Brooklyn, and it carries serious medical and psychosocial implications for those with the condition. With the inclusion of Genio to our treatment paradigm of OSA, we can now more comprehensively treat more patients in our community."

"Bringing the Genio implantable hypoglossal nerve stimulator to our health system represents an important expansion of the treatment options we can offer patients with obstructive sleep apnea," said Rahul Gulati, MD, Director of Microvascular Reconstruction at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. "For appropriately selected patients who have difficulty tolerating or benefiting from CPAP therapy, this technology provides another option for effective, patient-centered care. We're proud to have successfully performed our first implantation and look forward to making this treatment available to more patients across our health system."

"We are happy to announce a new addition to our full service of sleep Medicine at Kings County Hospital," said Samir Fahmy, MD, Director of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. "A hypoglossal nerve stimulation implant is an advanced surgical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. It uses a small, pacemaker-like device placed under the skin in the chest. It will be an alternative treatment for obstructive sleep apnea available for our patients."

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MEDIA CONTACT: , Chief Communications Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County

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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County
NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County is a 639-bed acute care teaching hospital located in Central Brooklyn. Among our highly specialized programs are a Level I Trauma Center, Pediatric Emergency Room, Level 3 Perinatal Center, Heart Health Center, Stroke Center, Sickle Cell Program, Behavioral Health Center, and Diabetes Education Center of Excellence. Many of our programs have received national recognition, including our cardiac, stroke, and diabetes services. The hospital offers a broad array of primary and specialty care, including practices in neuroscience, orthopedics, urology and cardiology. Annually, our ambulatory care practices see well over 500,000 visits and more than 150,000 visits in the Behavioral Health outpatient program, in addition to close to 23,000 inpatient discharges. NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County has played a major role in providing health care to vulnerable populations in Brooklyn since 1831 and is part of NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest public health care system in the nation. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/kingscounty and stay connected on Facebook at facebook.com/KingsCountyHosp or X at @KingsCountyHosp.

About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation, serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city's five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system's trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth-all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.