Palatal implants for the treatment of snoring:: Long-term results

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and long-term effectiveness of a new treatment for snoring using permanent palatal implants. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study with 35 patients referred to the clinic for the treatment of snoring. The patients were followed for I year, and a sleep analysis was performed and repeated at 360 days. During the procedure, 3 braided polyethylene terephthalate implants were placed in the palate of each patient. RESULTS: The average duration for normarcotic analgesics was 1.3 days. No adverse events were observed. The mean snoring intensity was reduced from 7.1 at baseline to 4.8 at 1 year (P < 0.001). Bed partner satisfaction rate was very high at 70.6% after 1 year. Six patients (17.8%) experienced a total of 9 partial extrusions. CONCLUSIONS: The palatal implant system is safe, and the effectiveness in treating snoring is comparable to other surgical methods. Advantages are virtually no tissue damage and minimal patient discomfort as a result of one standardized, low-cost procedure. (c) 2006 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved.