Soft palate implants reduce snoring

Insertion of small plastic rods into the soft palate with a minimally invasive surgical procedure has been found to be a safe and effective treatment for snoring. The technique is aimed at stiffening the soft palate tissue at the back of the roof of the mouth, to stop it from fluttering and causing snoring during sleep.This anti-snoring device, now called the Pillar Palatal Implant System, uses a device that looks somewhat like a soldering gun to insert a thin 3/4-inch-long plastic rod into the soft palate under local anaesthesia. Typically, people have three implants inserted.Researchers from the University Hospital Mannheim, Germany, assessed the outcomes of 15 people who were treated with the device. After 90 days, there was a significant improvement in their snoring-related symptoms. It was found that the average number of snoring sounds per hour fell following treatment. No complications occurred during the implant placement and the participants reported only minor discomfort after the procedure. Sleep studies showed no evidence of a drop in sleep or breathing after treatment. In addition, no change in speech, swallowing, or taste occurred.

However, further follow-up and research is needed to gauge the long-term effectiveness of this technique for the treatment of snoring.

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