Today, Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport dedicated its sleep clinic on the St. Mary Medical Center campus
to Dr. Andrew Chesson. Dr. Chesson is a former LSU neurologist and dean who established the area’s
first sleep clinic in the 1980’s. The clinic is located on the 4th floor of the Fairfield Building.

Dr. Chesson said his mission started after patients were referred to him with health problems that could
not be diagnosed. His research led him to determine that their health issues were related to a problem
with their sleep.

He says there were some articles, about breathing problems and sleep, however getting the medical
community to agree with the diagnosis was difficult. Dr. Chesson remembers the New England Journal
of Medicine rejecting an article about sleep apnea because reviewers questioned whether it really
existed.

Dr. Chesson and a dedicated team, were able to build their own equipment using items purchased at
Radio Shack. That is how this area’s first sleep clinic was built to help local patients who couldn’t travel
elsewhere for services.

Technology has improved since the 1980’s. Back then, the only treatment was a tracheostomy, where an
opening is made in the front of the neck and a tube is inserted into the windpipe to help people breathe.

Now, people who suffer from sleep apnea have options including surgery and CPAP machines.

Dr. Chesson retired from the medical profession after spending his entire medical career in Shreveport.