Somnoplasty: HSA Eligibility

What is somnoplasty?

Somnoplasty has become one of the most popular treatments to end the sleepless night and discomfort of the partners of frequent snorers. Somnoplasty is an operation that is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat habitual snoring, chronic nasal obstructions and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that utilizes radiofrequency ablation. This technique utilizes heat generated from a medium frequency alternating current (350-500 kHz), to remove affected nasal tissue from the nasal passageways that contribute to the medical conditions that most commonly cause frequent snoring.

Somnoplasty is done in an outpatient setting and usually takes less than 30 minutes to be performed in a surgeon's office under local anesthesia. The patient is awake for the painless procedure, and it involves placing a small needle directly beneath the soft palate and the uvula. The affected areas are heated to create an area of clotting. Over the course of the following month, the treated area's tissue will be expelled naturally. As a result, there will be less tissue present on the soft palate and uvula, and the tissue that remains will be stiffened. This will lead to a decreased frequency of snoring, improving breathing and the removal of nasal obstructions (WebMD).

The recovery period from somnoplasty will last only a few days with very minimal swelling and irritation in the nose and throat. Patients who have undergone the procedure describe the recovery period as not unlike the discomfort from an oncoming cold, but patients should be clear of any lingering symptoms 3-4 days after the procedure has been completed.