Perhaps you have tried different products to stop your snoring, with little or no success. Or perhaps you have been diagnosed with mild or moderate sleep apnea, but have found the CPAP too uncomfortable of a solution. Whichever reason, it may be time to find a surgical method to cure or minimize your snoring. There are several different procedures available to help you. The first I will discuss is called the Pillar Procedure.
What is the Pillar Procedure, and how can it help eliminate my snoring?
Like most surgical methods, the Pillar procedure targets the most likely cause for snoring and the Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), the palate. It is minimally invasive, and can be performed in the doctors office in around twenty minutes.
During this procedure, three small polyester implants are placed in the soft palate. This immediately results in a stiffening of the palate, causing less vibration, and greatly reducing the chance of the palate causing an airway blockage. Over time, as the scar tissue builds in, this becomes even stronger, thus more effective. These inserts are normally invisible and unfelt, so they will not interfere with swallowing or talking.
Is the Pillar Procedure painful?
Of all the surgical procedures available for snoring and sleep apnea, the Pillar procedure is probably the least painful. A local anesthetic is administered to the palate prior to the procedure.
What are the potential side affects or complications?
Side affects are rare, occuring in less than 1% of patients. The most common being a partial extrusion of an implant, caused by the implant being placed to high or too low in the palate. If this happens, the implant is removed and a new one placed. Other complications, typically only short term, include allergic reactions to the implant material, sore throat, swelling, and migration of the implant. Sometimes three implants are not enough, and up to two more may need to be used to get best results.
Will the Pillar Procedure work for me?
The Pillar Procedure appears to work well if the cause of the snoring or obstructive sleep apnea is vibration of the soft palate. However, it will have no affect if the cause is nasal passageway blockage or the tongue falling back.
This treatment is not recommended for people with severe OSA or other types of apnea. It also cannot be performed if the soft palate is not large enough for the implants.
The Pillar Procedure has been found to be less effective in overweight individuals.
So, is the Pillar Procedure right for you? Only an evaluation by an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist can say for sure.
The video below contains some testimonials from people who have had the Pillar Procedure performed on them. Realize that the video was created by someone who wants others to have the procedure also, so keep that in mind as you watch.
The Pillar® Procedure
Perhaps you have tried different products to stop your snoring, with little or no success. Or perhaps you have been diagnosed with mild or moderate sleep apnea, but have found the CPAP too uncomfortable of a solution. Whichever reason, it may be time to find a surgical method to cure or minimize your snoring. There are several different procedures available to help you. The first I will discuss is called the Pillar Procedure.
What is the Pillar Procedure, and how can it help eliminate my snoring?
Like most surgical methods, the Pillar procedure targets the most likely cause for snoring and the Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), the palate. It is minimally invasive, and can be performed in the doctors office in around twenty minutes.
During this procedure, three small polyester implants are placed in the soft palate. This immediately results in a stiffening of the palate, causing less vibration, and greatly reducing the chance of the palate causing an airway blockage. Over time, as the scar tissue builds in, this becomes even stronger, thus more effective. These inserts are normally invisible and unfelt, so they will not interfere with swallowing or talking.
Is the Pillar Procedure painful?
Of all the surgical procedures available for snoring and sleep apnea, the Pillar procedure is probably the least painful. A local anesthetic is administered to the palate prior to the procedure.
What are the potential side affects or complications?
Side affects are rare, occuring in less than 1% of patients. The most common being a partial extrusion of an implant, caused by the implant being placed to high or too low in the palate. If this happens, the implant is removed and a new one placed. Other complications, typically only short term, include allergic reactions to the implant material, sore throat, swelling, and migration of the implant. Sometimes three implants are not enough, and up to two more may need to be used to get best results.
Will the Pillar Procedure work for me?
The Pillar Procedure appears to work well if the cause of the snoring or obstructive sleep apnea is vibration of the soft palate. However, it will have no affect if the cause is nasal passageway blockage or the tongue falling back.
This treatment is not recommended for people with severe OSA or other types of apnea. It also cannot be performed if the soft palate is not large enough for the implants.
The Pillar Procedure has been found to be less effective in overweight individuals.
So, is the Pillar Procedure right for you? Only an evaluation by an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist can say for sure.
The video below contains some testimonials from people who have had the Pillar Procedure performed on them. Realize that the video was created by someone who wants others to have the procedure also, so keep that in mind as you watch.
Until next time, sleep well!
Related posts:
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.