Breathing easy: A patient’s experience with the Remede® System

Ken Mulholland of Savanna, Illinois, built his life around health and discipline. A longtime powerlifter, marathon runner, international dragon boat racer, and former personal trainer, he spent decades pushing himself physically and inspiring others.

“I always kept myself in better than average shape,” Mulholland says. 

But even athletes in peak condition can overlook hidden health risks. For years, Mulholland had no idea he was living with central sleep apnea. He felt fine. He stayed active. But at night, his wife noticed something troubling.

“My wife said, ‘Honey, you stop breathing at night and you start gasping,’" he says.

Mulholland responded with disbelief and humor.

“I used to joke, ‘I stayed awake all night, never stopped breathing once,’” he says.

It wasn’t until a series of family members raised concerns—including his brother and granddaughter—that he agreed to get tested. What his granddaughter said stuck with him:

“She said to me, ‘Grandpa, you stop breathing. If you ever want to see your great-grandson grow up, you better get something done.’ And that is what generated my interest,” he says.

“The Remede® System is basically a pacemaker that is placed in a vein that is situated right next to the left phrenic nerve,” explains Paari Dominic, MBBS, MPH, the cardiac electrophysiologist who treated Mulholland.

The device delivers continuous stimulation throughout the night at a set rate—similar to how a pacemaker regulates heart rhythm. This stimulation helps maintain a steady breathing pattern while the patient sleeps.

Unlike CPAP, the system is completely internal and activates only during a set sleep window, and only when the patient is lying on their back.

“CPAP can be pretty claustrophobic for some people,” Dominic says. The Remede® System avoids any external equipment. It is a minimally invasive therapy that does require a surgical procedure for implantation.

Mulholland no longer naps during the day. He rises at 5 a.m. without an alarm and stays active with walking, light lifting, and outdoor work.

“I would say my energy level is great,” he says. “We go up in the woods and cut wood and mow lawns and work around the house.”

Though his training days are behind him, Mulholland credits the Remede® System with helping him maintain his quality of life.

“I definitely want to be around long enough to see my great-grandson grow up,” he says.

Mulholland’s story is far from unusual, according to Dominic. Many people with central sleep apnea don’t experience obvious symptoms—or don’t realize the symptoms they do have are related to their breathing during sleep.

Dominic says the daylight symptoms can be very mild.

“They can have episodes where they feel like they're more tired, like they want to take a nap in the afternoon.”

Mulholland notes that he often felt this way.

Dominic adds that these warning signs often go unrecognized. That’s why, he says, the role of family or close observers is vital.