The mainstay of treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is positive airway pressure (PAP). PAP therapy may be difficult to tolerate for some patients which may compromise adherence, requiring alternative therapies. Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HGNS) has become an option for those who meet implantation criteria. Implantation of the device is an ambulatory surgical procedure and is generally well-tolerated, though rare adverse events have been reported. We report an unusual complication of HGNS in a patient who had initial success with this therapy. After three years of treatment, the sensor lead penetrated into the pleural space. Components of the HGNS were explanted, and a new sensor lead and generator were reimplanted. The new device was activated, and therapy was successfully resumed. This case demonstrates that there is a potential for a delayed complication of sensor lead penetration into the pleural space which has only rarely been reported.

阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停 (OSA) 的主要治疗方法是气道正压通气 (PAP)。对于一些可能影响依从性的患者，PAP 治疗可能难以耐受，需要替代疗法。舌下神经刺激 (HGNS) 已成为符合植入标准的人的一种选择。该装置的植入是一种非卧床外科手术，通常耐受性良好，尽管已报告了罕见的不良事件。我们报告了一名使用这种疗法取得初步成功的患者出现了一种不寻常的 HGNS 并发症。经过三年的治疗，传感器导联渗入胸膜腔。移植了 HGNS 的组件，并重新植入了新的传感器导线和发生器。新设备启动，治疗成功恢复。