MORE ON SOMNOPLASTY

Somnoplasty is FDA approved for use in the treatment of four conditions: habitual snoring from the soft palate and uvula, chronic nasal obstruction from enlarged inferior turbinates and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS).

Somnoplasty involves inserting a small probe into the palate. The probe directs low levels of radio frequency energy to the tissues of the uvula or soft palate. The procedure creates finely controlled zones of coagulation at precise locations beneath the tissue in the upper airway. This controlled destruction of tissue results in reshaping and tightening of the soft palate. Over a period of three to eight weeks, the treated tissue previously responsible for snoring is resorbed; that is, the body naturally removes this tissue and opens the airway.