Snoring FAQ's

FAQ: Obstructive Sleep Apnea

What is obstructive sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a debilitating sleep and breathing disorder defined as the cessation of breathing for 10 seconds or more (an apnea) at least five times per hour of sleep. During sleep, the body's muscles relax, which can cause excess tissue to collapse into the upper airway (back of the mouth, nose and throat) and block breathing. When breathing is interrupted by an obstruction in the airway, the body reacts by waking enough to start breathing again. These arousals may occur hundreds of times each night but do not fully awaken the patient, who remains unaware of the loud snoring, choking and gasping for air that are typically associated with obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea sufferers never get "a good night's sleep" because repeated apneas and arousals deprive patients of REM and deep-stage sleep, leading to chronic daytime exhaustion and long-term cardiovascular stress.

What are the health implications of obstructive sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea has a profound impact on an individual's health. Excessive daytime sleepiness caused by disruption of normal sleep patterns leads to a significant increase in the rate of accidents for obstructive sleep apnea patients, including a sevenfold increase in automobile accidents. Over the long term, obstructive sleep apnea is associated with greater risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease and the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research estimates that 38,000 cardiovascular deaths due to sleep apnea occur each year.

In addition, loud snoring and intermittent breathing interruptions can affect the quality of sleep of the obstructive sleep apnea patient's bedpartner. Witnessing an apnea can be a frightening experience because the obstructive sleep apnea patient appears to be suffocating. Frequently, it is a sleep-deprived bedpartner who convinces the apneic patient to seek medical help.

Who suffers from obstructive sleep apnea?

Twenty-four percent of adult men and nine percent of adult women, or more than 20 million Americans, are estimated to have some degree of obstructive sleep apnea. Of these, six million are estimated to have cases severe enough to warrant immediate therapeutic intervention. However, obstructive sleep apnea was not well understood or recognized by primary care physicians until recently, and only a fraction of these 20 million obstructive sleep apnea patients have been diagnosed and treated by a physician.

While obstructive sleep apnea is commonly associated with obesity and male gender, it affects a broad cross-section of the population. Other risk factors include habitual snoring, which is often a precursor of more serious upper airway disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea. In fact, results from a recent study indicate that one in three men and nearly one in five women who snore habitually suffer from some degree of obstructive sleep apnea.

How effective is the Somnoplasty System in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea?

Initial clinical results showed that the Somnoplasty System effectively treated obstructive sleep apnea by shrinking the base of tongue -the most difficult source of obstruction to treat-i n moderately and severely affected patients. These results were presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation in September 1998, with data from 18 patients. Sophisticated testing and analysis following treatment with the Somnoplasty System indicated that patients experienced an average of 17 percent and as much as a 35 percent reduction in tongue tissue volume, a range that is comparable to conventional surgical techniques.

Who is a candidate for the Somnoplasty procedure for obstructive sleep apnea?

All potential candidates should be evaluated by a physician to confirm the presence of obstructive sleep apnea (also through an overnight sleep study) and identify the possible sites of airway obstruction.

What other conditions can be treated with Somnoplasty?

The Somnoplasty System has already been cleared by the FDA for use in the treatment of three conditions: habitual snoring (soft palate and uvula), chronic nasal obstruction (enlarged inferior turbinates) and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As of June 1999, more than 20,000 patients have been treated with Somnoplasty Procedures.

Alleviating obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Somnoplasty is an effective and minimally invasive choice for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Delivering radiofrequency energy submucosally to the base of tongue, Somnoplasty creates limited zones of coagulation beneath the tissue surface. As lesions resorb, they stiffen and reduce the tissue in the base of tongue. A study published for OSAS/UARS reported a 55% reduction in the mean respiratory disturbance index (RDI) from baseline for all subjects – with an overall mean reduction in tongue volume of 17%6.

Sounder sleep

Patients seeking treatment for sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) were treated with Somnoplasty, demonstrating:
• Decreased daytime sleepiness – as determined by Epworth sleepiness scores
• No infections
• No airway compromises
• Limited, short-term postoperative pain
• Decreased snoring – 77%