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 Until now patients with obstructive sleep apnea faced a limited, and unpleasant, choice of treatments. Somnoplasty is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure which reduces and tightens excess tissue in the upper airway responsible for obstructive sleep apnea, including the base of tongue, the most difficult to treat source of obstruction. The procedure takes place under local anesthesia in an outpatient setting with the patient typically resuming normal activities the following day. The specially-designed Somnoplasty handpiece creates limited zones of coagulation beneath the surface of the tissue. The surface tissue is shielded from thermal damage and is thereby preserved. Over a period of three to eight weeks the treated tissue is resorbed, leading to volume reduction of the airway obstruction. The procedure itself typically takes 30 to 45 minutes, with only 5 to 10 minutes of actual RF energy delivery. Typically more than one treatment is necessary to achieve optimal results. Sleep studies have demonstrated that Somnoplasty can effectively treat OSA by reducing excess tissue volume. |