WAUWATOSA - Researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin are testing a new treatment for sleep apnea. It is a minimally invasive implant. The device is inserted while the patient is under general or local anesthesia through a small incision under the chin. A tissue anchor is placed into the tongue and attached to a tether line. The device is then adjusted by a doctor to keep the air passage clear. And while the procedure may look painful, doctors say there is very little discomfort. "The device helps support muscles so the airway doesn't collapse as much during sleep," sleep specialist Dr. Tucker Woodson told TODAY'S TMJ4 reporter Shelley Walcott. Most sleep apnea patients need to sleep with either a CPAP mask or a mouth guard. Woodson said this implant should make life a lot more comfortable. "Sleep apnea is such a chronic disease, it's a lifelong problem," Woodson said, "The more we can do to make it easier for the patient, the better outcomes we're going to have." For more information on the clinical trial, contact the Medical College of Wisconsin at 414-805-5553.