The Service de Médecine du Sommeil (Sleep Medicine Department) at the Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, part of the esteemed Hospices Civils de Lyon, is a leading center for the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders in adults and adolescents over the age of 15. With a rich history rooted in the broader legacy of the Hospices Civils de Lyon, which has served the Lyon community for over two centuries, the Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse itself was established in the mid-19th century to expand the city's healthcare capacity. Today, the Sleep Medicine Department stands as a testament to this long-standing commitment to public health and medical innovation.
The department's mission is to provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for a wide spectrum of sleep disorders. This is achieved through a collaborative approach that brings together specialists from various fields, including pneumology, neurology, psychiatry, and general medicine. The team works in close partnership with other specialists such as pediatricians, geriatricians, ENT surgeons, and maxillofacial surgeons to ensure a holistic and tailored treatment plan for each patient. This integrated model allows the center to address the complex and often interconnected nature of sleep pathologies, from common conditions like sleep apnea to rare and challenging disorders.
The center is renowned for its expertise in managing a diverse range of sleep-related issues. These include respiratory disorders during sleep, most notably obstructive sleep apnea, for which the clinic offers advanced mechanical treatments like Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy and mandibular advancement devices. The department is also a designated national reference center for rare hypersomnias, such as narcolepsy, idiopathic hypersomnia, and Kleine-Levin syndrome, reflecting its specialized knowledge and research focus in these areas. Furthermore, the clinic provides diagnosis and treatment for parasomnias (e.g., sleepwalking, night terrors), restless legs syndrome, circadian rhythm disorders, and insomnia.
To support its diagnostic and treatment activities, the Sleep Medicine Department is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and technology. The center features 14 inpatient beds for overnight sleep studies (polysomnography), which are crucial for accurately diagnosing a variety of sleep disorders. In addition to conventional hospitalizations, the department offers day hospital services and specialized consultations. Diagnostic explorations are extensive and include video-polysomnography, ventilatory polygraphy, daytime vigilance tests (MSLT and MWT), capnography, actigraphy, and biological examinations. For treatment, the clinic employs a range of modalities, from mechanical interventions and pharmacological treatments to non-medicinal approaches like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT-I) for insomnia, sleep hygiene education, and light therapy. The center also runs a therapeutic education program called 'Éveil et moi' for patients with narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia.
The department's commitment to advancing the field of sleep medicine is evident in its active involvement in national and international research projects and clinical trials. This dedication to research, combined with its comprehensive clinical services and multidisciplinary team, makes the Service de Médecine du Sommeil at Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse a unique and vital resource for patients with sleep disorders in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and beyond.
