A good reason for its increasing popularity is the quick surgery time coupled with quicker recovery. Traditionally tonsillectomies are performed surgically or with a laser. It involves using general anesthesia, a painful and prolonged recovery period, and a possibility of bleeding and dehydration according to Dr. Lionel Nelson, an associate clinical professor in the surgery department at Stanford University in Palo Alto.

However performing somnoplasty for removing enlarged tonsils is a far quicker procedure with equally fast recovery time. Nelson did one such surgery after which he commented: “One of my patients was eating a sandwich two hours after the procedure and went back to work the next morning.”

Performed in less than 5 minutes while the patient is wide awake, Nelson performed the new procedure on nine adults who were suffering from enlarged tonsils. 70% shrinking of tonsil-size were reported during 8 to 12 weeks following surgery.

Read the full story at http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=118139&page=1

Somnoplasty is one of the most minimally invasive outpatient procedures that are FDA-approved for the treatment of habitual snoring. The trial was led by Lionel M. Nelson, a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at Stanford University and the tonsil somnoplasty was performed using local anesthesia. Unlike conventional tonsil surgery methods (including complete removal of tonsils called tonsillectomy) that usually result in discomfort and long recovery time, somnoplasty reduced the tonsil size by an average of 71% and enhanced airway dimensions by 55%.

The successful surgery resulted in preservation of tonsil surface as well as reduce obstructed- airway problems like snoring, daytime sleepiness, irritation of the throat and difficulty in swallowing.

Though there are various types of non-surgical snoring solutions available like implants, orthodontic appliances, home remedies and CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) techniques, for some people snoring surgery is the only solution to their persistent sleep disorder.

But any kind of surgery, be it major or minor, needs some amount of mental preparation. While snoring surgery may be a last resort to cure the condition, you have to keep in mind that it involves some amount of incisions, blood loss and pain, and requires time to heal.

Snoring Surgery: 5 Popular Procedures

Since there are numerous options available with snoring surgery, you might want to be completely informed about your choices before you go under the surgeon’s scalpel. Here’s a brief description of the most common surgical procedures for snoring:

• LAUP, or Laser assisted Uvuloplasty, is a type of snoring surgery that you hear about hear a lot about when looking for snoring cures. From the name itself, you know that this is a laser surgery for snoring.

Essentially, this procedure involves removing the obstructive tissues that block the air passage by the use of CO2 laser. Many people avoid this kind of snoring surgery, because of the serous alteration of voice that it normally results in.

Some of the other side effects of this surgery include sore ears and dry mouth.

You might need at least 5 visits to the doctors’ clinic where each visit is planned with a gap of 4 to 8 weeks of each other. After this the total effect of the laser surgery for snoring is evident. Patients who received LAUP treatment reported 90% improvement of their snoring condition.

• Instead of removing obstructions from the air passage, the pathway can also be enlarged so as to ease the flow of air through it, while breathing. This is the underlying principle behind one type of snoring surgery called UPPP or the Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.

Perhaps the biggest drawback of this type of surgery is the high cost and chances of obstructions returning necessitating a second surgical intervention to clear the air passage. Post surgical infection, excessive bleeding is also reported.

• Vibration of the soft palate as it collapses during sleep is one of the common causes of snoring. CAPSO or the Cautery-assisted palatal stiffening operation is a type of snoring surgery makes use of the concept of burning some sections of the palate to stiffen it and thereby preventing it from vibrating during sleep. However, the efficacy of this type of snoring surgery has not yet been established and the subsequent success rate is still not recorded.

• There is one snoring surgery that is least invasive and almost painless. It is called radio frequency tissue ablation or RFTA, better known by its trade name Somnoplasty.

This procedure, done at the out patient department of a hospital or at the doctors’ chamber, involves using very low radio frequency thermal energy, unlike laser-assisted surgeries to create fine burn areas with the tissues that are causing obstruction to the air flow. These tissues could be found in the uvula or the soft palate. With time, these burnt tissues get re-absorbed and the volume of tissue is significantly reduced.

Incidentally, somnoplasty has been approved by the FDA. Perhaps the only downside to this procedure is that a solitary session may not be able to cure snoring. However, with subsequent sessions, snoring is significantly reduced.

• Maxillomandibular advancement is yet another type of snoring surgery that is considered to be more complex than other procedures. This surgery involves advancing the lower jaw by about 12 millimeters. This is done by surgically cutting and removing the bones that hold the upper and lower jaws.

Of all the various types of sleep disorders, the snoring problem is perhaps one of the most common afflictions troubling people globally.

Somnoplasty and Snoring: What’s the Relationship?

Somnoplasty and snoring have a close association in the sense that somnoplasty is one of the most effective snore surgery procedures for the treatment of habitual snoring. This type of surgery to stop snoring essentially involves removal of the obstructing tissues that are present in the uvula and the soft palate that collapse and create the snoring sound.

What is so special about somnoplasty and snoring? The uniqueness of this type of snoring treatment is what makes somnoplasty so special.

Thermal energy with very low level radiofrequency is used in the procedure, unlike laser-based surgeries. This heat creates very tiny burn areas that focus primarily on the throat tissues, which the body re-absorbs over time. This results in shrinkage of volume of tissues.

This is the reason why somnoplasty and snoring are so closely related, as by using only local anesthetics, the air passage is freed from any obstruction, allowing cessation of snoring.

The Success Rate of Somnoplasty for Snoring

What kind of success rate can I expect from this procedure of treating snoring? Though instances are rare, you have to remember that any kind of surgical intervention is bound to entail some amount of negative post-operative after-effects. One of the factors you have to remember about somnoplasty and snoring is that the procedure may not cure the problem completely.

A majority of somnoplasty surgeons feel that the procedure can provide substantial – or at times full – relief from snoring for about 80% of patients. For others, there can be some reduction in snoring expected.

As you go along learning more about somnoplasty and snoring, you will also learn that this procedure is incapable of treating sleep apnea and other types of sleep disorders that have a pathological origin. These are more serious and complicated health issues and the efficacy of somnoplasty has not yet been tried on such situations.

What are the After Effects of Somnoplasty?

The following after effects have been reported after somnoplasty and snoring surgery is completed:

• Nasal regurgitation
• Alteration of tone of voice
• Though rare, liquids sometimes flow into the nasal cavity while you are trying to swallow.
• The healing process may be delayed and some amount of pain and blood loss can be expected.
• Since the procedure involves using energies from heat and electricity, some adjoining tissues may suffer injury.

Your knowledge about somnoplasty and snoring would not be complete unless you are fully aware about what happens after the procedure. Because of the localized inflammation, your snoring may seem to get worse during the period immediately after the surgery. However, you can expect to see improvements within a couple of weeks and the improvement continues for several months.

You may also experience sore throat for several days after the surgery. This can be taken care of by taking some acetaminophen or ibuprofen tablets or a throat lozenge that soothes the throat.

And do not forget to go for a check up after 7 to 10 days after the surgery!

While there are various options for sleep apnea treatment, surgery for sleep apnea is at times the only treatment of choice, when every other form of therapy has proved to be futile.

If you too have been recommended for sleep apnea surgery, the first thing you need to know about the various surgical options available for treating sleep apnea is that the type of surgery you should choose is based on two factors: (1) your anatomical structure, and (2) the severity of sleep apnea.

Though somnoplasty has been used to treat sleep apnea, there are many people who want a single surgery to cure their condition. Since somnoplasty may require more than one treatment session, some do not consider this as a viable sleep apnea surgery option.

Common Sleep Apnea Surgery Procedures

Here are the different types of sleep apnea surgery and some brief details about each of them:

• Nasal airway surgery: This type of sleep apnea surgery is most effective to improve the functionality of CPAP. At times nasal obstructions make it impossible for the CPAP to remain effective.

• Palate implants: This is the recommended mode of sleep apnea surgery for people who are suffering from sleep apnea caused by palatal collapse.

• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP): Essentially, this is a type of sleep apnea surgery that aims to prevent the collapse of the palate, tonsils and the pharynx. Not designed for obese people, this type of surgery is recommended for people with large tonsils or uvula or a long and wide palate. This form of surgery has a 50 to 60% success rate in reducing or preventing sleep apnea.

• For sleep apnea treatment, many doctors consider tongue reduction surgery, especially when the area of collapse is located between the base of the tongue and the pharynx. Most of these procedures including laser midline glossectomy are done as an addition to other surgical procedures.

• In combination with UPPP there is another type of sleep apnea surgery performed called genioglossus advancement. The genioglossus muscle is located at the base of the tongue and it attaches this area to the front inside of the jaw bone. This muscle may relax during sleep and cause air passage obstruction. This type of sleep apnea surgery typically pulls the base of the tongue forward by about 4 mm by detaching the part of the jaw where the muscle is attached.

• The other option for surgery for sleep apnea includes a procedure called hyoid suspension that is done in conjunction with other types of surgeries like UPPP or genioglossus advancement.

• Maxillomandibular advancement is yet another surgical option for treating sleep apnea. The aim of this surgery is to move the jaw and upper teeth forward. This simultaneously pulls the palate and base of the tongue forward. This procedure is considered to be best for thin patients who have a small jaw line.

• There is a way to bypass the narrowed air passage called tracheostomy. This type of sleep apnea surgery is usually recommended for severely obese patients who do not respond to any other treatment.

• The other surgical option for treating sleep apnea for patients who are morbidly obese is bariatric surgery.

Somnoplasty is essentially a method of providing heat treatment to the soft palate. During the procedure, small radiofrequency electrodes are inserted into the soft palate, as well as the back of tongue. This heat results in coagulation of relevant tissues, which over time reduces the volume of the tissues that have been causing obstruction to normal breathing.

Chances are you already know some of the basics of this procedure, also called RFTVR (radio frequency tissue volume reduction). But much more important than what is involved in the procedure is somnoplasty effectiveness. How precise is the procedure? Will it be beneficial in treating your specific condition? What kind of complications can you expect, even though much has been said and written about somnoplasty effectiveness?

Somnoplasty Effectiveness: Results from Around the Web

While the most authentic information about somnoplasty effectiveness is revealed through reports of clinical trials, not many of us are comfortable reading through such complicated analysis and data.

Therefore, to know more about somnoplasty effectiveness it’s best to read extracts of clinical studies published in reliable medical journals or some trustworthy websites.

Here is some feedback regarding somnoplasty effectiveness taken from some authority websites that can throw more light on its effectiveness and success rate:

• According to a study entitled “Radiofrequency tissue volume reduction: multilesion vs. single lesion treatments for snoring” published in the journal Archives of Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery, somnoplasty effectiveness increases with multiple procedures, with an effectiveness of up to 61%.

• Many reports confirm that while somnoplasty effectiveness on a long term basis has not yet been proven for curing snoring, early results are positive and encouraging.

• According to the original brochure available from the inventors of the somnoplasty procedure, in a study comprising 13 somnoplasty treatments it was shown to:

• Demonstrate a 85.3% success rate for up to two treatments
• Reduce the mean snoring index by 60.6%
• Reduce the mean Epworth Sleepiness Score by 37.5%

• There was a French study done in 2002 involving 29 patients who had a maximum of 3 somnoplasty sessions. It was seen that mean snoring level decreased significantly from 8.6 (+/- 1.3) to 3.3 (+/- 2.5) on a visual analogue scale (0-10). However there was no significant decrease of daytime sleepiness.

• You might be interested to know that RDI (Respiratory Disturbance Index) is the primary measure of somnoplasty effectiveness. In a study led by Karl Hormann, MD (University Hospital, Mannheim, Germany) involving 40 tongue-based tissue reductions, it was seen that after two sessions: 13 patients (65%) showed improvement in their OSAS, with nine of these patients (45%) being cured (defined in the study as a reduction of RDI by greater than 50% and to a level of less than 20/hour). However all sleep apnea cases do not involve enlarged tongue base and these results are not relevant for all cases of OSA.

• Finally, some websites claim that the procedure has been found to be effective in alleviating some cases of obstructive sleep apnea.

There is plenty of information on somnoplasty success rate available online, including online forum sites where you can learn the real experiences of people who have undergone this procedure, as well as sites that publish study reports done on the topic.

What Does “Success” Mean for Somnoplasty Patients?

At the end of the day, the somnoplasty success rate figures may seem a bit confusing for a lay person like you and me. This is because ‘success’ may mean many things to many people. Some may think of success when the condition is 100% cured, while others may look at it from the perspective of post-operative complications. The fewer the complications and the sooner you can resume your normal life – you may accordingly conclude that the somnoplasty success rate is high.

From the experiences of somnoplasty patients as well as excerpts of clinical trials that one sees on the internet, there are a couple of conclusions that you can draw: (1) Somnoplasty is most effective after more than one procedure, and (2) the somnoplasty success rate largely depends on the severity of your condition.

That being said, you have to remember that the somnoplasty success rate is not very different from any other outpatient surgeries. Factors that lower the success rate are expected complications from somnoplasty, including bleeding, infection, swelling and blood clots. The success rate may also get affected if the adjoining tissues surrounding the area under surgery are injured during the procedure.

For people who are looking for a one-shot therapy, somnoplasty may prove to be disappointing. In many cases, the first somnoplasty surgery does not improve the condition significantly, necessitating additional surgery to be done. Also, while some people complain of breathing problems after the surgery, some experience side effects like sore throat and swelling.

What Can I Do to Increase the Somnoplasty Success Rate?

As a patient undergoing somnoplasty, there are a few instructions that you can follow that will positively impact your somnoplasty success rate:

• Sipping ice cold water or popsicles can provide temporary relief from pain or soreness of throat.

• Do not drink any hot liquid until the effects of anesthesia wears off.

• The “full” feeling you will have behind your mouth and throat is caused by the uvula getting longer and thicker after somnoplasty. This feeling usually wears off within 24 to 48 hours.

The service www.nwface.com offers valuable guidance to potential somnoplasty patients, as well as evaluation services to patients and options for therapy. They claim that they have one of the largest experiences with the somnoplasty technique.

They have achieved a 95% somnoplasty success rate using 2 to 3 treatment sessions, and claim that of the remaining 5%, there was definite improvement, with only minor treatments necessary. According to their site, the key to enhancing somnoplasty success rate is proper evaluation of the patient, correct diagnosis of the problem so that targeting of the treatment is also right.

www.doctorgallardo.com mentions a study to assess the somnoplasty success rate that showed that 89% patients stopped using medication for nasal obstruction after 8 weeks of the procedure. The response rates improved after multiple lesions. The same site also talks about some other recent studies where 100% of patients had improved breathing and there was 81% reduction in nasal obstruction.

Regarding the somnoplasty success rate in improving obstructive sleep apnea, a study published for OSAS/UARS indicated a 55% reduction in the mean respiratory disturbance index (RDI), with a 17% reduction in the tongue volume.

Before we talk more in detail about somnoplasty side effects and the possible complications that can be expected from the procedure, let us briefly run through the various types of somnoplasty performed for different purposes:

• Somnoplasty for treating snoring involves operation on the soft palate. The procedure shrinks and stiffens the relevant tissues in the soft palate.

• For curing chronic nasal congestion, somnoplassty involves operation on the nasal turbinates. The procedure reduces the volume of turbinates thereby easing the normal breathing process.

• Tissues in the upper airway including those at the back of the mouth, nose and throat are operated upon when somnoplasty is used to cure sleep apnea. Here too, somnoplasty shrinks the tissues creating the obstruction thereby allowing smooth air flow.

What kind of complications and somnoplasty side effects can be expected?

These are very similar to any outpatient surgical intervention.

• Bleeding, infection, swelling and blood clots are some of the expected somnoplasty side effects.

• Some tissues adjoining the area of surgery can be injured during the procedure.

• Some patients have also reported breathing difficulties during surgery.

• One of the factors about somnoplasty side effects that concern most people is that somnoplasty may not always significantly improve the condition. This necessitates a repeat surgery or another more extensive procedure to be performed on the patient.

Most somnoplasty side effects get resolved with time

Though somnoplasty side effects affect many patients, many of them get resolved with time. These somnoplasty side effects include sore throat or inflammation. Sometimes the treated tissues get swollen and this results in snoring getting worse immediately after the operation. However snoring does reduce within 1 or 2 weeks after surgery and continue to lessen in the coming months. Most of the post-operative pain can be reduced by pain killers available over the counter.

While swelling and resultant discomfort are two of the most common somnoplasty side effects, there is nothing to be overtly worried about –as these subside sooner than you imagined.

To get a clearer picture about somonoplasty results and assess its safety and efficacy, you need to delve a bit deeper into some study results that have been published in the internet, read forums and bulletin boards, and join in various online discussions about the topic.

For example, here is are some salient points about a report on somonoplasty results in the treatment of obstructive e sleep apnea where two treatment sessions were needed to achieve desired results. The report was published in last December issue of Sleep and Breathing and involved a study conducted by Karl Hormann, MD, (University Hospital, Mannheim, Germany) involving 40 tongue-based tissue reductions. This study delivered higher amounts of energy per treatment than used in previously published studies with the aim of reducing the number of treatment sessions per patient.

With RDI (Respiratory Disturbance Index) as the primary measure of efficacy of somonoplasty results, the study reported after two sessions: thirteen patients (65%) showed improvement in their OSAS, with nine of these patients (45%) being cured (defined in the study as a reduction of RDI by greater than 50% and to a level of less than 20/hour). However you need to remember that all sleep apnea cases do not involve enlarged tongue base and these results are not relevant for all cases of OSA.

In a previous study published by Stanford regarding somonoplasty results that used lower energy levels, 38% of patients were cured, after an average of 5.5 treatments. Post-operative complications included mild to moderate pain lasting about 3.8 days and it was controlled by non-steroidal medications.

While discussing the general efficacy standards and somonoplasty results, we have to remember that somnoplasty is the only procedure that uses temperature controlled radiofrequency heat energy to reduce and tighten tissues in the upper respiratory passageway like tonsil, nasal passage, palate and the base of tongue. This is the only FDA-approved technique recommended for treating chronic nasal obstruction, sleep apnea, habitual snoring as well as upper airway resistance syndrome.

What do the somonoplasty results mean for me?

When going in for somnoplasty – be it for curing habitual snoring, clearing nasal obstruction or curing sleep apnea, you are opting for a procedure that is:

• Minimally invasive
• Minimal post-operative complications and risks
• Safe
• Effective
• Offers permanent reduction of any airway blockage or obstruction
• Outpatient procedure.

One of the most encouraging aspects about somonoplasty results is that the post-operative complications can be well within your control. For example, in a recent study the somonoplasty results showed that only 9% patients who had undergone somnoplasty for curing habitual snoring, needed sedative analgesics to treat the post-operative pain, in comparison to 100% patients going in for other procedures like laser assisted uvulo-palatoplasty (LAUP) and uvulo-palatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) upper-airway procedures.

It is also a fact that somonoplasty results are positive in the improvement of nasal obstruction caused by turbinate hypertrophy.

In case of wrong or misdiagnosis, sleep apnea can eventually involve health risks including heart attack, stroke,  impotence, irregular heart beat, increased blood pressure and other heart ailments.

When is Somnnoplasty Sleep Apnea a Recommended Treatment?

The severity of sleep apnea symptoms may range from mild to moderate or severe, as diagnosed by a sleep test called polysomnography. Some doctors prefer to treat mild sleep apnea by making some lifestyle and behavioral changes including weight loss, altering sleeping positions, oral devices, etc. Moderate to severe sleep apnea is usually treated with a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) method.

However the newest surgical procedure for treating snoring and sleep apnea is called somnoplasty, a procedure that is approved by the U.S. FDA.

What is Somnoplasty?

Essentially, somnoplasty uses radio frequency heat to shrink tissues that are causing blockage in the air passage. Somnoplasty is also called radiofrequency (RF) volumetric tissue reduction of the palate.

The procedure involves piercing the tongue, throat or the soft palate with a special needle, the electrode, which is connected to a RF generator. The relevant tissues are then heated to a temperature up to 158 to 176 degrees in a matter of half an hour. The inner tissues shrink, but the outer tissues (which usually contain the taste buds, etc) are not touched. Several treatments may be needed to achieve desired results.

Is Somnoplasty Sleep Apnea the Right Treatment For Me?

The process of somnoplasty sleep apnea involves burning and shrinking the soft tissues in the upper airway including the tongue base. This is done under local anesthesia. This process is a minimally invasive and painless method to remove any obstruction in the upper airway passage.

Because the process involves using a set of proprietary, single-use disposable surgical hand pieces that are capable of delivering closely monitored and controlled heat energy to the targeted areas, it can effectively reduce tissue volume and stiffen soft tissues that cause the blockage in breathing.

What Happens During the Somnoplasty Sleep Apnea Procedure?

This involves generating heat up to 85 degrees Celsius with the aim of creating a fine coagulation of lesions in the upper air passage. Any post-operative tissue damage is prevented by using an insulating sleeve at the base of the needle electrode.

The lesions created during the somnoplasty sleep apnea procedure are gradually and naturally re-absorbed within 3 to 8 weeks, thereby re-opening the air passage and allowing better breathing.

How Long Does the Somnoplasty Sleep Apnea Procedure Take?

Usually between 30 and 45 minutes, the procedure is performed in the out patients’ clinic. Typically, more than one treatment is necessary to achieve desired results.

How Effective is Somnoplasty Sleep Apnea?

During initial trials of somnoplasty covering data from 18 patients, presented to the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation in September 1998, it was proved that somnoplasty was effective in treating moderate to severe sleep apnea patients by reaching the most difficult source of obstruction without any problem. Subsequent treatments with somnoplasty has indicated that somnoplasty sleep apnea can be effective in reducing the volume (to the extent of 17% to 35%) of tongue tissues – a range that is comparable to any traditional surgical methods.