New OSA Treatment Option

New Twist on Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Los Angeles, April 1/HHNewswire -- A Southern California plastic surgeon has developed a procedure that promises to aid millions of sufferers of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). OSA is a medical condition that causes the patient to have multiple interruptions in breathing while asleep. This causes constant fatigue in the patient and can lead to high blood pressure and even death.

Traditional therapy for OSA patients is the use of a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device. The CPAP provides a continuous flow of air that forces the airway to remain open, allowing the patient to sleep more soundly.

The primary problem with this therapy has been that the facemask that the patient straps on is seldom a perfect fit for his or her face. Air that leaks out from the mask is annoying to the patient and reduces the effectiveness of the therapy. It often causes the patient to eventually give up on the therapy.

Dr. Alfred F. Day, F.A.C.S. of Orange County, CA has developed a procedure that he says will overcome the leaking mask problem. Dr. Day performs what he calls “CPAP sculpting” to actually alter the patient’s face to properly fit the CPAP mask. “Tiny grooves, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, are carved into the patient’s face to allow the CPAP masks to fit snugly and securely. Low areas of the patient’s face can also be built up with the injections of tiny amounts of skin cells from the patient’s leg. This all creates a perfect, leak-free fit for the CPAP mask.”

The experimental procedure, developed in partnership with a new CPAP mask manufacturer, Snoozel, Inc. has been tested successfully on over 20 patients and Dr. Day predicts that FDA approval should be forthcoming by year end.

Inquiries should be directed to Dr A.F.Day (as in April Fools Day)