Somnoplasty is comprised of the Latin root somnus meaning sleep, and the Greek word plastia meaning molding or formation. Somnoplasty is a medical treatment approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat three conditions: habitual snoring, chronic nasal obstruction, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) using radio frequency (RF) energy to shrink the tissues that are causing the problem. Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and is responsible for regulating food (humans and animal), dietary supplements, drugs (human and animal), cosmetics, medical devices (human and animal) and radiation emitting devices (including non-medical devices), biologics, and... Snoring is the act of breathing through the open mouth in such a way as to cause a vibration of the uvula and soft palate, thus giving rise to a sound which may vary from a soft noise to a loud unpleasant sound. ... Sleep apnea (alternatively sleep apnoea) is a common sleep disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. ...

Somnoplasty is typically an out-patient procedure where you visit the office for a 30-45 minute appointment and the can go about your day.

The patient is given a local anesthetic and a special electrode is used that delivers RF energy under the surface of the tissue is used. The electrode is used to administer controlled, low-power RF energy to create coagulative (clotting) lesions beneath the mucosa (lining) of the targeted areas: A local anesthetic is a drug that reversibly inhibits the propagation of signals along nerves. ...

• For chronic nasal obstruction the turbinates are targeted
• For habitual snoring the soft palate and the uvula are targeted
• For obstructive sleep apnea the base of the tongue and other airway structures are targeted

(the actual areas targeted depends on each individuals specific anatomy, so the above are just general associations. In anatomy, a turbinate is a bony projection which protrudes into the breathing passage of the nose. ...

After 6-8 weeks the lesions are naturally resorbed, which reduces the volume of the tissue while stiffening what remains. When this occurs the airway is enlarged, allowing a less-restricted flow of air. Several follow-up treatments are usually required to obtain the desired results

Common Side Effects

• swelling
• discomfort

History

Somnoplasty was developed by a company named Somnus Medical Technologies, and received FDA clearance in November of 1998 for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.