Soft palate implants for the treatment of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the initial short-term effectiveness of palatal implants in treating patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Previous published studies have focused on snoring without OSA. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective, nonrandoinized Study of 25 previously untreated patients with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of 10 to 30 and a body mass index (BM I) of <= 30. Three permanent implants (Pillars Restore Medical, St Paul, MN) were placed in the soft palate of each patient with a specially designed delivery tool in an office setting under local anesthesia after a formal polysomnography. A repeat polysomnography was obtained after 90 days. RESULTS: The AHI was reduced from a mean of 16.2 to a mean of 12.1 (P < 0.05) for the Study Group. Twenty of 25 C patients (80%) experienced a decrease in the AHI. Twelve of 25 patients (48%) showed a post-90-day implant AHI of 10 or less, a benchmark for the possible cessation of continuous Positive airway pressure therapy. The Epworth Sleepiness Score decreased from 9.7 to 5.5 (P < 0.001) and the Visual analog Scale of snoring intensity reported by bed partners decreased from 8.4 to 4.3 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The palatal implant method can significantly improve AHI and other sleep-related parameters in patients with mild to moderate OSA and a BMI of >= 30. Short-term results are comparative to those reported for uvulopalatopharyngoplasty but achieved in a low-cost, single-stage, outpatient office setting with low morbidity. (c) 2006 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved.