IMPLANTS HELP SLEEP APNEA
Sleep apnea is a tiring disorder that causes people to stop breathing while they sleep. In the United States, one in every 20 men and one in every 30 women live with it. Now, a new procedure may put an end to this exhausting condition.
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SAs a busy art director in LA, Tony doesn't have time for a sleep disorder.
Tony
Has Sleep Apnea
"When I'd wake up in the morning, I'd be completely worthless, and I would feel like I hadn't slept at all, and people always were at work going, 'God, you look so tired. You look so tired!'"
Like 18 million Americans, Tony has sleep apnea. The condition causes people to stop breathing during sleep. Those brief breaks can happen up to 400 times a night!
Martin Hopp, MD
Otolaryngologist
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, CA
"Every time this happens, you lose sleep. You may never get any deep sleep."
The C-PAP machine is an effective treatment, but it's cumbersome. Now, there's an easier fix called the pillar procedure.
Martin Hopp, MD
"If you have mild sleep apnea, you will do really well with this procedure."
In a 30-minute procedure, doctors put three tiny implants in the soft palate. The implants, and the scar tissue that forms, stiffen the palate.
Martin Hopp, MD
"It's kind of like putting a batten in a sail or a stiffening rod in a sail, so it doesn't luff anymore. If your soft palate is stiff, it doesn't fall backwards, and you don't stop breathing."
Studies show it works in two-thirds of patients with mild sleep apnea.
A sleep study showed Tony stopped breathing 26 times an hour. Then he had the pillar procedure.
Tony
"I automatically noticed, you know, I was more awake and more alert and I could do more. I wasn't...I would sleep harder."
Tony says his new sleep habits have given him more energy for his job -- and his life.
The pillar procedure is FDA approved and is done as an outpatient procedure. Patients cannot feel the implants, and they can have them removed if they experience problems. Doctors have only been performing the procedure on patients with sleep apnea for about four years, so they're still not sure how permanent the effects are.
BACKGROUND: Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that can be quite serious. Doctors say about 18 million Americans have sleep apnea. According to Martin Hopp, M.D., from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, one in 20 men and one in 30 women in the United States have the disorder. People over 40 years old are more likely to have sleep apnea, but it can affect anyone at any age.
Sleep apnea causes people to stop breathing for 10 to 30 seconds at a time while they're sleeping. This can happen up to 400 times a night. Dr. Hopp says, "Every time this happens, you lose sleep. You may never get any deep sleep."
CURRENT TREATMENTS: Some dental devices can effectively treat mild cases of sleep apnea. These devices move the jaw forward to make it easier to breathe. A very common and effective treatment for sleep apnea is the C-PAP machine, but it's a cumbersome facemask that has to be worn every night while the patient sleeps. Some patients simply don't tolerate the mask. In some cases of sleep apnea, surgery is needed to remove tonsils or extra tissue from the throat. Steps that help patients sleep better include stopping the use of alcohol and sleep medicines. These relax the muscles in the back of the throat, making it harder to breathe. Quitting smoking; maintaining a healthy weight; and sleeping on your side, rather than your back can also help.
THE PILLAR PROCEDURE: Standard treatment for sleep apnea aims to keep the soft palate open. A new treatment called the Pillar procedure goes after the same target but is an easier fix for many patients. Doctors insert three tiny woven implants into the soft palate. It's done as a 30-minute outpatient procedure. The implants work to harden the soft palate. Dr. Hopp says, "It's kind of like putting a batten in a sail or a stiffening rod in a sail ... if your soft palate is stiff, it doesn't fall backwards, and you don't stop breathing."
The success of the treatment is the result of two things. First, the implants stiffen the palate, but the scar tissue that forms as a result of the implants also helps stiffen the soft palate. The scar tissue takes time to form, so the full benefits of the procedure often aren't realized for three to six months afterwards.
Dr. Hopp says: "This is a big advance in treatment because the procedure itself is very simple. It doesn't require an operating room. We do it in the office. We do it under local anesthetic. Now, I have something I can offer these patients that I can do without going to the operating room."
CANDIDATES: Not everyone with sleep apnea is a candidate. Dr. Hopp says the Pillar procedure is most effective for people with mild sleep apnea. Study results show two-thirds of patients with mild sleep apnea will benefit from the procedure.
Cynthia Harding
Public Relations Director
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
8700 Beverly Blvd.
TSB Room 210
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 423-4768
Cynthia.harding@cshs.org
Copyright © 2006 Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc.
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