Somnoplasty Treatment for Upper Airway Obstruction

Somnoplasty is a procedure to treat the upper airway obstruction. It is also used to treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.

It shrinks the soft tissue in the upper airway including base of the tongue which is the source of the obstruction performed under local anesthesia.

It uses radio frequency (RF) energy to provide a less painful treatment of upper airway obstruction.

The somnoplasty treatment takes about half an hour and five minutes required for RF energy delivery.

During somnoplasty, automated RF control unit is used with temperature monitoring capabilities that deliver controlled energy into surface layer of soft palate to reduce tissue volume and stiffen soft tissue.

Heat of approximately eighty five degrees is generated for treating obstructive sleep apnea. This creates finely controlled lesions at specific locations within the upper way.

To minimize post operative discomfort, an insulating sleeve at the base of the needle electrode is intended to protect the surface of the tissue from thermal damage. The body reabsorbs the lesion causing the nasal mucosa to shrink and clearing the airways.

Somnoplasty and obstructive sleep apnea:

Obstructive sleep apnea is defined as cessation of breathing for more than ten seconds during sleep. It occurs hundreds of times per night. During sleep, your throat muscles relax and fall back into the mouth, nose and throat and block the airway.

You will be awakened for gasping breath and fall sleep again. Your night sleep will be disturbed and you feel tired and exhausted during daytime.

The somnoplasty procedure for obstructive sleep apnea shrinks the soft tissue in the upper airway including the base of the tongue which is the source of obstruction.

Somnoplasty and Snoring:

Snoring occurs when tissues in the back of the throat and nose airway relax during sleep and vibrates. Snoring occurs by an enlarged soft palate and uvula at the back of the mouth. It reduces the volume of the soft palate tissue and stiffens it.

Stiffening of tissues makes the palate not to fall easily at night with a reduction in the loudness of snoring.

But these soft tissues unstiffen with time and snoring returns back. Once snoring is back, the treatment can be repeated. To achieve better results, more than one treatment is necessary for some patients. With multiple treatments, there may be permanent reduction in the snoring.

The treatment is less costly with few complications. After the treatment, you can see swelling at the back of the throat.

Risks and complications:

1. You may get sore throat for three to four days.
2. After anesthesia is decreased, you get pain and soreness
3. You have to take the treatment for multiple times to reduce it completely.
4. You may have change in voice or nasal regurgitation.
5. Sometimes you may suffer from prolonged pain, bleeding, and infection.
6. There may be thermal or electrical injury to the mucus membranes of the soft palate, uvula or mouth.

Advantages of somnoplasty:

1. It does not require a special operating room for treatment.
2. It can be done as an outpatient procedure.
3. It takes less time and less painful.
4. There may be little pain but it is less than the surgical pain.
5. As there is little discomfort, many people prefer this treatment.

As patients may suffer with pain, but majority of patients have less pain or no pain. Somnoplasty is safe, effective and less painful than other surgical treatments.