To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Somnoplasty Effective In Treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/1EF356.htm Doctor's Guide January 10, 2001
SUNNYVALE, CA -- January 10, 2001 -- According to a study published in December's issue of Sleep and Breathing, tongue base reduction with temperature controlled radiofrequency energy was effective in treating obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) after two treatment sessions. This study was conducted by Karl Hormann, MD, University Hospital, Mannheim. The aim of the study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of temperature controlled radiofrequency energy in OSAS by delivering higher amounts of energy per treatment session than used in previously published studies, thereby reducing the number of treatment sessions per patient. In this study, forty tongue base reductions with temperature-controlled radiofrequency were performed on twenty patients with OSAS. The improvement in Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI) was the primary measure of efficacy. Following two treatments, 13 patients (65 percent) showed improvement in their OSAS, with nine of these patients (45 percent) being cured (defined in the study as a reduction of RDI by greater than 50 percent and to a level of less than 20/hour). In a previous study published by Stanford, using lower energy levels, 38 percent of patents were cured, as defined above, after an average of 5.5 treatments. Postoperative morbidity was similar to previously published study results, with a slight increase in postoperative complications. Patients reported only mild to moderate pain, lasting an average of 3.8 days and the pain was controlled with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. "Dr. Hormann's work supports the initial study done at Stanford, which demonstrated the effectiveness of temperature controlled radiofrequency in treating OSAS," said John Schulte, President and CEO of Somnus Medical Technologies. "This study also showed that the number of treatment sessions can be reduced by increasing the energy levels without a significant increase in complications, thus making it a more convenient and cost effectivetreatment." The Somnoplasty technique is the only treatment available that uses temperature-controlled radiofrequency energy (TCRF) to reduce and tighten enlarged tissues in the upper airway such as the tonsils, nasal passages, palate and base of tongue. A targeted area of tissue obstruction is heated below the surface mucosa. The body then absorbs this heated area over a period of three to eight weeks reducing tissue volume. Somnus is pioneering a new standard of care for the treatment of upper airway disorders. The Company's proprietary Somnoplasty System is the only temperature-controlled radiofrequency-based technology that has been previously cleared by the FDA for use in the treatment of chronic nasal obstruction and sleep disordered breathing-obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, upper airway resistance syndrome, habitual snoring, as well as a device for tissue coagulation in the head and neck, including tonsils. The Somnoplasty procedures work by heating a targeted area of obstructive tissue below the surface. The body naturally resorbs the heated area over a period of three to eight weeks reducing tissue volume. Clinical evaluations are underway to further expand the indications for the treatment of other upper airway obstructions. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.