Sleep Apnea Treatment With Tiny Implants

If you are a sleep apnea sufferer, you probably know how cumbersome it can be to use a CPAP machine to aid your breathing while you sleep.

While it is a better alternative than the harmful effects of not treating your obstructive sleep apnea, it is hardly a full solution to the problem.

Sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea are prone to many negative health effects including a lack of concentration, grogginess, and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Nearly 18 million Americans are badly affected with this sleep disorder, with a full 1 out of 20 males and 1 out of 30 females living with the problem.

To that end, biologists and doctors have been toiling endlessly to work towards a better type of sleep apnea treatment for the sufferers. Luckily, there has been a medical breakthrough in the form of a tiny new implant which may be of great merit to those with a sleep apnea condition.

The implant procedure that is creating quite a buzz in the medical community is known as the pillar procedure, and it includes small implants that are placed within the soft palate.

The Procedure Used For Implant

The implants and the scar tissue that is created by the surgical procedure help to provide a level of support to the soft palate so that it is not as easily collapsible. This can cause the airway of those with obstructive sleep apnea to be more open, allowing the patient to breathe more appropriately throughout the evening.

The soft palate of those who have the pillar procedure tends to stay in place, as opposed to falling back which commonly occurs in those with the disorder. Studies show that a full two thirds of all mild obstructive sleep apnea sufferers can advantage from the sleep apnea treatment, and it has been approved by the FDA.

The surgery is an outpatient process, and it has been performed with a very reasonable success rate by doctors for the past four years. The implant takes roughly thirty minutes to install, and three small implants are placed throughout the palate.

While the long-term advantages of this sleep apnea surgery are not yet realized, it shows much promise in helping those with a mild case of sleep apnea to decrease their problem. The implants in the palate do not pose much of a problem to the patients, as they cannot be felt after being implanted.

Also, if the implants show to be of little success, they can be easily removed via another surgery. While not a total solution to the problem caused by obstructive sleep apnea, these implants represent a new hope for those who have a mild form of the condition.