If you're one of the many people who struggle with loud snoring or mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), you know how life-disrupting it can be — for both you and anyone sharing your space.
While CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines are the most common and effective remedy, they don’t work for everyone. Plus, they can be downright cumbersome particularly when traveling. That’s why minimally invasive treatments like somnoplasty are gaining attention as a sleep apnea treatment or as an adjunct to other treatments such as CPAP in the overall management of snoring and sleep disordered breathing.
At Memorial Village Sinus and Hearing in Houston, Texas, Conrad Kyle McCutcheon, MD, FACS, offers somnoplasty as an alternative to the CPAP machine. Here’s what you need to know about this procedure and whether it might be the better path for you.
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when excess throat tissue partially blocks your airway when you sleep, causing you to stop breathing repeatedly. Somnoplasty contracts or shrinks this excess tissue.
The procedure uses low-power radiofrequency energy to target tissues in your throat. This includes your soft palate, uvula, or tongue base. The heat energy gently shrinks these tissues to widen your airway. The whole process takes just 30 minutes.
Unlike traditional surgery, which removes tissue, somnoplasty reshapes and stiffens your airway without incisions. Dr. McCutcheon performs somnoplasty in the office under local anesthesia.
Over the next four to eight weeks, your airway enlarges, improving your ability to breathe normally throughout the night and reducing snoring.
Here’s how the two compare in terms of effectiveness, compliance, maintenance, and lifestyle factors.
CPAP is highly effective, but compliance is a challenge. Research shows that about 83% of people experienced symptom relief within just two months of consistent CPAP use. However, long-term use is where many struggle. Few people continue CPAP therapy for 10 years because of:
All of these concerns can lead to discontinuing use. Without consistent compliance, that is using it every night, symptoms return, along with the increased risks that come with untreated sleep apnea, including heart disease and daytime sleepiness.
Somnoplasty is a minimally invasive in-office procedure with no downtime except for perhaps the day of the procedure that can help you say goodbye to snoring. It is most effective for snoring without sleep apnea and mild to moderate cases of sleep apnea. It may require up to four treatments for the best results.
Unlike CPAP, somnoplasty doesn’t rely on daily use. Once the treatment is complete, there’s no equipment or routine to maintain. It directly addresses the excess tissue causing your symptoms.
Apart from initial post-treatment symptoms — mild swelling and excess mucous production — there are no long-lasting side effects from somnoplasty.
Cleaning a CPAP machine is also a pain point. If you don’t clean the machine properly, mold and mildew can form in the tubes, which can cause health issues and make the therapy less safe.
There’s no need to clean machines or devices with somnoplasty because there are none.
Because a CPAP machine takes up space in luggage and requires a power source, traveling or overnights away from home can be difficult.
Somnoplasty is a more liberating choice, especially for those who travel frequently or enjoy camping.
You may benefit from somnoplasty if:
Somnoplasty not only lets you avoid the CPAP machine. It can also help you avoid invasive surgical intervention.
Somnoplasty isn’t just another snoring treatment. This minimally invasive alternative addresses the root cause by remodeling airway tissue. If CPAP isn’t working for you — or isn’t an option — somnoplasty could offer lasting relief and better sleep without nightly hassles.
Call 281-990-4259 today to schedule a consultation with Dr. McCutcheon.
