Does Somnoplasty work

Hi Everyone,
I am on the search to improve my sleep apnea. My ACPAP Machine isn't much help. I go back to the ENT for him to look at how my machine has been working. So far it's been 3 months and I have to say I feel worse off.
Has anyone had Somnoplasty to help to shrink the tissue in and around the throat. This procedure sounds promising, but I don't know enough about it. I know that I will still need the ACPAP, but I really feel like I need something more to assist my therapy.
I had my turbinates reduced to help with my cronic congestion, which I could never find a cause for. It has helped reduce the pressure so I can wear my mask. It went well enough that I was thinking that maybe it is time to try the somnoplasty, as you all know sleep apnea, causes so many other medical problems.

Below is what I found on a web site about the procedure.

RADIO FREQUENCY (RF) PROCEDURE OR SOMNOPLASTY
The newest surgical procedure for snoring and sleep apnea is called somnoplasty. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a treatment for snoring that uses radio waves to shrink tissue in air passages and eliminate snoring. The procedure is called radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction of the palate.

A new treatment for sleep apnea, radiofrequency volumetric reduction of the tongue has been approved by the FDA.

The radiofrequency treatment involves piercing the tongue, throat or soft palate with a special needle (electrode) connected to a radio frequency generator. The inner tissue is then heated to 158 to 176 degrees, in a procedure that takes approximately half an hour. The inner tissues shrink, but the outer tissues, which may contain such things as taste buds, are left intact. Several treatments may be required.

Unfortunately, at this time the procedure is so new that insurance companies are not covering it yet. It is still seen as an experimental procedure.

SleepingBearDoNtWake wrote:

Below is what I found on a web site about the procedure.

RADIO FREQUENCY (RF) PROCEDURE OR SOMNOPLASTY
The newest surgical procedure for snoring and sleep apnea is called somnoplasty. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a treatment for snoring that uses radio waves to shrink tissue in air passages and eliminate snoring.

Welcome!

Somnoplasty was approved by the FDA and has been performed since 1998 - that is 13 years.

So since you quoted an article referring to Somnoplasty as "new", let me suggest you have a lot of research to do before deciding what routes to pursue. It is good that you are here because the members can point you to many excellent resources.

SleepingBearDoNtWake wrote: I go back to the ENT for him to look at how my machine has been working. So far it's been 3 months and I have to say I feel worse off.

So you are depending on your doctor to optimize your CPAP therapy? It is a very rare doctor that can do this. Optimization of CPAP is a DIY project!

Let me suggest the first route you should pursue is to take control of your CPAP therapy and take personal responsibility for measuring and optimizing the process.

Do you know that the initial CPAP machine settings prescribed by doctors are sometimes ineffective or only partially effective? Do you know how to read the data from your machine? Do you have a card reader and software for your machine? Are you 100% certain you are not mouthbreathing while using that nasal interface?

Answering these questions is a good start to taking control of your CPAP therapy.

here
thread from 2010

There is a search box on the upper left hand side of the page.

BlackSpinner wrote:here
thread from 2010

There is a search box on the upper left hand side of the page.

That thread is about Somnoplasty for turbinates. He is talking about Somnoplasty for soft palate and tongue. He has already had the turbinates reduced, apparently by resectioning.

I am going to do this somnoplasty thing for my soft palate too, I have an appointment with surgeon who is doing such operations in August. I also feel that I need it because my soft palate is long and it collapses like a curtain :/ This is a minor surgery, considered safe so maybe it will help, maybe we will be able to use lower pressure? I am not even dreaming that I won't need CPAP after that, it seems impossible.

CatherineF wrote: I also feel that I need it because my soft palate is long and it collapses like a curtain ...

I am very curious about how the evaluation of your soft palate was performed? What kind of doctor did it? What "palate standard" did he compare it to? Did the doctor take measurements or just make an estimate?

My Mom had it done...don't do it! Afterwards she had a continuous tickle in her throat and was always coughing. She went through Riccola cough drops like candy..didn't help.

NighMonkey, I had my x-ray done first, to see where excactly my level of obstruction is. It turns out that behind my tongue there is 10,3mm of space (should be 16 to avoid any risk of apnea but 10 is quite enough too). My problem is long, even elongated soft palate that causes a curtain effect, it collapses into my throat blocking my airway completely. I don't snore, there is no room for snoring in my case, obstruction is total. I am going to have RF soomnoplasty along with cutting my soft palate with how to call it, harmonic waves knife? I don;t know how to describe this procedure in english, it is not my first language. I think it will not cure my apnea, I am certain it won't but maybe I will be able to use lower pressure? Or maybe my positional apnea will be improved and I will not have apneas sleeping on my side? I hope for it...

SleepingBearDoNtWake wrote:Unfortunately, at this time the procedure is so new that insurance companies are not covering it yet.

Well, maybe you are lucky. I wonder if your insurance is not covering it BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE WORSE OFF AFTERWARDS.

NightMonkey wrote:

CatherineF wrote: I also feel that I need it because my soft palate is long and it collapses like a curtain ...

I am very curious about how the evaluation of your soft palate was performed? What kind of doctor did it? What "palate standard" did he compare it to? Did the doctor take measurements or just make an estimate?

I had I-CAT CT before my somnoplasty, the doctor said that my palate is too long and palatal arches should be higher. I had somnoplasty yesterday, now it hurts like shit. I can't eat without a painkiller.