Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-hgkh8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-29T08:07:18.630Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Sutter® bipolar radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction of palate for snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnoea: is one treatment adequate?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 January 2009

K P Pang*
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Pacific Sleep Centre, Singapore
J K Siow
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Kenny Peter Pang, Director, Otorhinolaryngology, Pacific Sleep Centre, 20-03 Paragon Medical Centre, Singapore259332. E-mail: kennypang@hotmail.com

Abstract

Objective:

To evaluate the efficacy of bipolar radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction, using Sutter® technology, in the treatment of snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnoea.

Design:

Prospective, non-randomised trial.

Methods:

Fifty-two patients with simple snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnoea underwent bipolar radiofrequency palate reduction under local anaesthesia.

Results:

All patients were Friedman stage II and III, with tonsil sizes graded as zero, one or two, a mean body mass index of 22.6, and a mean age of 36.2 years. Seventy-seven per cent of patients reported improvement in their snoring; patients' mean snoring level (assessed by visual analogue scale) improved from 8.9 to 3.4 (p < 0.05). Eighty-three per cent of patients reported an improvement in their Epworth sleepiness scale score, from a mean of 14.6 to 9.5. Seven out of the 17 patients (41.2 per cent) met the surgical success criteria (i.e. at least a 50 per cent reduction of the pre-procedure apnoea–hypopnoea index, and a post-procedure apnoea–hypopnoea index of below 15). Patients' mean apnoea–hypopnoea index improved from 13.6 to 9.8, and their mean lowest oxygen saturation improved from 88.3 to 92.5 per cent. Eighty-two per cent of patients reported an improvement in their quality of life as a result of the procedure.

Conclusion:

One session of Sutter bipolar radiofrequency tissue volume reduction represents a viable method of treating snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnoea, with good results.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Young, T, Palta, M, Dempsey, J, Skatrud, J, Weber, S, Badr, S. The occurrance of SDB among middle-aged adults. N Engl J Med 1993;328:1230–5CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2 Young, T, Evans, L, Finn, L et al. Estimation of the clinically diagnosed proportion of sleep apnea syndrome in middle aged men and women. Sleep 1997;20:705–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3 Powell, NB, Riley, RW, Troell, RJ, Li, KK, Blumen, MB, Guilliminault, C. Radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction of the palate in subjects with sleep-disordered breathing. Chest 1998;113:1163–74CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4 Said, B, Strome, M. Long-term results of radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction of the palate for snoring. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2003;112:276–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5 Blumen, MB, Dahan, S, Wagner, I, De Dieuleveult, T, Chabolle, F. Radiofrequency versus LAUP for the treatment of snoring. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2002;126:6773CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6 Stuck, BA, Starzak, K, Verse, T, Hormann, K, Maurer, JT. Complications of temperature-controlled radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction for sleep-disordered breathing. Acta Otolaryngol 2003;123:532–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7 Atef, A, Mosleh, M, Hesham, M, Fathi, A, Hassan, M, Fawzy, M. Radiofrequency vs laser in the management of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea: does the number of treatment sessions matter? J Laryngol Otol 2005;119:888–93CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8 Sher, AE, Flexon, PB, Hillman, D, Emery, B, Swieca, J, Smith, TL et al. Temperature-controlled radiofrequency tissue volume reduction in the human soft palate. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2001;125:312–18CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9 Boudewyns, A, Van De Heyning, P. Temperature-controlled radiofrequency tissue volume reduction of the soft palate (somnoplasty) in the treatment of habitual snoring: results of a European multicenter trial. Acta Otolaryngol 2000;120:981–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10 Back, LJ, Tervahartiala, PO, Piilonen, AK, Partinen, MM, Ylikoski, JS. Bipolar radiofrequency thermal ablation of the soft palate in habitual snorers without significant desaturations assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2002;166:865–71CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11 Johnson, JT, Pollack, GL, Wagner, RL. Transoral radiofrequency treatment of snoring. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2002;127:235–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12 Said, B, Strome, M. Long-term results of radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction of the palate for snoring. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2003;112:276–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13 Sandhu, GS, Vatts, A, Whinney, D, Kotecha, B, Croft, CB. Somnoplasty for simple snoring – a pilot study. Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci 2003;28:425–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14 Tatla, T, Sandhu, G, Croft, CB, Kotecha, B. Celon radiofrequency thermo-ablative palatoplasty for snoring – a pilot study. J Laryngol Otol 2003;117:801–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15 Fang, TJ, Li, HY, Shue, CW, Lee, LA, Wang, PC. Efficacy of radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction of the soft palate in the treatment of snoring. Int J Clin Pract 2003;57:769–72CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16 Stuck, BA, Maurer, JT, Hein, G, Hormann, K, Verse, T. Radiofrequency surgery of the soft palate in the treatment of snoring: a review of the literature. Sleep 2004;27:551–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17 Steward, DL, Weaver, EM, Woodson, BT. A comparison of radiofrequency treatment schemes for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2004;130:579–85CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18 Gerek, M, Akcam, T, Durmaz, A. Radiofrequency thermal ablation of the soft palate in patients with snoring and mild sleep apnea. Kulak Burun Bogaz Ihtis Derg 2005;14:6778Google ScholarPubMed
19 Fischer, Y, Hafner, B, Mann, WJ. Radiofrequency ablation of the soft palate (somnoplasty). A new method in the treatment of habitual and obstructive snoring. HNO 2000;48:3340CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20 Brown, DJ, Kerr, P, Kryger, M. Radiofrequency tissue reduction of the palate in patients with moderate sleep-disordered breathing. J Otolaryngol 2001;30:193–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21 Steward, DL, Weaver, EM, Woodson, BT. A comparison of radiofrequency treatment schemes for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2004;130:579–85CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22 Kezirian, EJ, Powell, NB, Riley, RW, Hester, JE. Incidence of complications in radiofrequency treatment of the upper airway. Laryngoscope 2005;115:1298–304CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed