Somnoplasty was developed as an alternative to snoring surgery without the pain and discomfort that traditional surgical methods brought; the goal of the procedure id to remove tissues of the uvula and the soft palate so there is a better flow of air during the night, eliminating the vibrations that cause the distinctive sound of snoring. This procedure is done under complete control monitoring every important aspect in detail; the low levels of radiofrequency heat energy also give the doctor the complete control needed for this operation.

Somnoplasty is performed in an outpatient setting using local anesthesia: before commencing the procedure, the doctor will use orals pray in the mouth to numb the area and then apply three small injections in the roof of the mouth; thanks to the oral spray you’ll only feel a minor discomfort when the injections are applied. The whole procedure takes usually less than 15 minutes and is done with the help of the Somnus gun device which delivers controlled thermal energy to the uvula and soft palate.

Once Somnoplasty is finished, you’ll need to take proper care of the area using directed over-the-counter analgesics. Know that immediately after surgery, snoring may get worse as the tissues are swollen and enlarged; improvement will become noticeable after a couple of weeks and with months the results will keep improving. It is also recommended you sleep with your head elevated for several nights after the treatment.

Somnoplasty Side Effects and Complications

As with any type of surgery, you run the risk of encountering complications. Although the great majority of cases are considered a success, you should weigh the risks by responsibly learning about these potential complications:

Failure to eliminate snoring problems. In these cases another more aggressive surgery may be needed.
Inability to cure sleep apnea and related problems.
Change in pitch of the voice, velopharyngeal insufficiency and nasal regurgitation. These are rare complications but are still a possibility.
Prolonged infection, pain and even bleeding.
Somnoplasty can also result in tissue loss by burn.

There are different situations that can trigger snoring during the night, including nasal congestion, deviated nasal septum, your sleeping position (flat on your back), blocked nasal passages, excess weight and drinking alcoholic beverages before going to sleep. Knowing the cause will help you a lot in finding a solution and you can avoid surgery altogether. In some cases, though, a snoring surgery may be the only option left to minimize problems. Most current procedures can be done at the doctor’s office using local anesthesia.

A snoring surgery is not a 100% effective solution, according to some specialized publications, after performing the surgery patients experience good short-term results that do not completely erase the problem but minimize it in a great percentage; however as time passes the long-term results start to decrease as the body becomes accustomed to the changes. Let’s take a look at some of the procedures that are currently used as a snoring surgery.

Laser-Assisted Uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP). This is the most commonly-used snoring surgery. In this procedure, the doctor will use Co2 laser to cut away the uvula. The vast majority of patients will require more than one surgery of this type for it to be considered a success. Usually you will need around 1 – 5 treatments and each one of them has its own cost. This happens with many of the alternatives for snoring surgery, and of course each session has its own expenses. LAUP is a variation of UPPP a similar procedure which is considered to be painful.

Coblation-Channeling. This is the newest snoring surgery and it was approved by the FDA in 2000. It can be used for snoring using radio frequency energy to shrink tissue located in the airway, it can also completely remove it.

Radio Frequency Tissue Ablation (RFTA). This treatment was approved in the year 1997 and it is also aimed at shrinking the uvula. You will find this procedure more commonly under its trade name: Somnoplasty. More than one treatment may be needed.

Tongue Suspension Procedure. Also known as Repose, its goal is to keep the tongue from falling back on the airway while you sleep, using a small screw on the lower jaw bone. This is a bit more invasive snoring surgery that might be needed in just some cases.

In addition to these treatments, you might also benefit for nasal surgery aimed at removing obstructions causing the snoring sound. It is very important to undergo proper consultation with your doctor; doctors who deal with these kinds of problems and know all about snoring surgery are otolaryngologists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons.

Laser snoring surgery has advantages over traditional surgery methods: the procedure lasts much shorter, you will have less chances of complications from excessive bleeding and risk of infection, and the recovery time will be greatly reduced – with many patients returning to work the day after the procedure. But on the other side, you should also know that surgery is not the “ultimate” solution for this problem, it can reduce snoring greatly in a short term, but testimonials point out that in the long term, the effectiveness will reduce. The cost can be also a factor that can play against your decision to undergo surgery, especially when you take into account that most patients will need more than one treatment for it to be considered a success.

There are two options for laser snoring surgery: Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) and Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP).

LAUP is a procedure that involves a partial resection of the uvula and the soft palate. Using a CO2 laser, the palate is gently and slowly scarred and tightened so in the end you will have a much better flow of air. This is the most affordable laser snoring surgery option and the one that causes less discomfort. This perhaps has lead to a generalized use of LAUP for treating snoring and sleep apnea problems. The whole surgery can be performed in as little as 10 minutes in the doctor’s office, with the patient fully conscious thanks to the use of anesthesia. Usually a patient will need 1 – 5 LAUP treatments.

UPPP is a laser snoring surgery that will enlarge the throat and allow a better flow of air. This method is more “aggressive”, involving the removal of tonsils as well as parts of the uvula and the soft palate. This method is considered painful and thus requires the application of generalized anesthesia. Despite being more expensive and painful, it also fails in providing a 100% solution for snoring, however in some cases this can be the only option left.

These are your two options for laser snoring surgery, choosing one will depend on your specific case and your previous success/failure with natural options. In order to have one of these you will need to have a series of consultations with the doctor to assess if you are apt for the treatments.

The goal of this surgery is to remove excess tissue located in the soft palate and at the same time tighten-up the resting tissue in the mouth. Although this is done now with assistance of laser, it can be done also with electrocautery and cold knife techniques. The soft palate is in a way sculpted by creating forms that resemble “trenches” around the uvula and reshaping the uvula itself.

This surgery is performed with anesthesia; however the person remains awake all the time. After it is completed, the doctor will have widened the size of the patient’s airway to increase the airflow and reduce any vibrations in the area that are producing the snoring sound. All the surgical procedure will take about 30 minutes and usually the patient can go home immediately unless the doctor requires the contrary.

Although many people think LAUP is the definitive answer to their problems, the truth is that sometimes a single procedure won’t give the expected results, and subsequent treatments will be needed (with a 4-8 weeks separation). There have been cases where patients have needed up to six surgeries for the treatment to be considered a success. OF course this also adds up in terms of costs.

LAUP is a type of surgery that do not have side effects of a serious nature, but like all surgeries it can have complications, the most common one being excessive bleeding. You need to talk all about this and how you can avoid complications in a private consultation with your surgeon.

LAUP will also require post-surgery care in order to help you recover perfectly from the surgery; the doctor will give you antibiotics and painkillers to speed up the recovery process and you will have to follow a liquid diet for the first days after LAUP. You will also need to take care of your swollen throat by doing things like sleeping at a 45 degree angle to reduce blood flow on the area. If you do physical activities, know that they will be limited for approximately a month.

Uvulopalatoplasty surgery is not a solution aimed to work for everyone; in order to see if it will be helpful in your particular case, you will need consultations with specialized doctors.

There are different types of snoring surgeries, and the one for your case will depend greatly on where you have an excess of tissue that is causing the sound. This way you have nasal surgery and palatal surgery, each one with a different range of prices.

Nasal surgery is performed to allow a better pass of air through the nose; this is achieved by correcting the nasal septum, taking out nasal polyps and repairing the nasal tissue linings. The average cost of this surgery is $2,000 a figure that also includes the extra charges for service, anesthesia, etc.

On the other hand, Palatoplasty is needed to correct problems in the soft palate and the back of the tongue. The ways your surgeon can perform this surgery are varied and the one for your case will be reflected on the cost of the snoring surgery. The costs usually will rang between $2,000 and $3,000 including again al the surcharges.

Another surgery used for snoring is Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). In this procedure, a surgeon will take out certain parts of the uvula and soft palate, along with tonsils to open up your airways. The average cost of this treatment in USA is $5,500.

Uvuloplasty (UPP) is a type of surgery where most of the uvula is remove through electrocautery, then the plate is burned across, making the scar tissue tighten up the palate. The cost for this procedure is in average $500. There is also a similar alternative using laser, called Laser-Assisted Uvuloplasty, with a higher cost of $1,500 in average.

Finally, you have somnoplasty, a snoring surgery option in which electrocautery is delivered through a needle to then be inserted in the soft palate. The scar resulting from this procedure will stiffen the area and prevent snoring. Like many other surgeries the effects can decline over the years, and it has an average cost of $1500.

In some cases, the snoring surgery cost can be really reduced, especially if we take into account that a significant amount can be reduced through a combination of Government Insurance and private insurance. However, you should read well what is covered and what is not covered in your private insurance company. Some companies will consider snoring surgery as a type o aesthetical surgery, therefore, avoiding its coverage.

Snoring surgery however is the last option to treat the extreme snoring problem in an individual. Surgeries such as Thermal Ablation Palatoplasty (TAP), adenoidectomy, Pillar procedure, or palatal implantation, Repose and Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty are performed by surgeon to prevent snoring. These surgeries totally depend on the conditions and diagnosis made by the doctor. In fact, every surgery to prevent snoring has individual rate of effectiveness along with advantages as well as disadvantages.

Some Preferred Snoring Surgeries:

The TAP surgery involves removal of tonsils and fatty tissues around the neck. Sometimes, it also involves restructuring the jaw to correct any abnormalities. At present, even laser technology is used to remove these tissues. The palatal implantation includes insertion of plastic implants through syringe, which helps in hardening of soft plate tissues, which are responsible for snoring.

Repose is another most preferred type of surgery, which prevents the tongue from falling back and blocks the air passage that results in snoring. The tongue is attached to lower jawbone with a tiny screw. This is normally executed by other procedures.

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty is a procedure, wherein all the parts of the uvula are burnt through electrodes thus reducing the soft tissues, which are responsible for snoring. Such laser-assisted treatments of uvula are performed by surgeons worldwide to cure snoring.

If the cause of snoring is blockade in the nasal passage, then nasal surgery is performed to eliminate the obstruction in the passage and correct the deviated septum. On the other hand, Pillar procedure surgery involves implanting three woven implants each of 18mm size in soft palate.

Thus, these are some of the most preferred surgeries to prevent snoring.

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty:

It is not only the oldest, but also the most invasive surgical procedures to cure snoring problems. This surgery involves the removal of uvula, tonsils and some parts of the soft palate, and enlargement of the nasal airway. Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty or UPPP removes the soft tissue that often vibrates when the person snores. This helps to clear any kind of nasal blockage. This surgery is not effective, when it comes to treating snoring caused due to improper functions of tongue.

Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty

This is the most common surgery for treating snoring. In this procedure, a carbon dioxide laser is used to vaporize some parts of the uvula. The patient may be administered with a local anaesthetic before starting the surgery. The procedure can be completed in just about half an hour. However, a patient may be required to undergo 3-5 sessions of the same. Also, Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty has a good success rate.

Somnoplasty:

Somnoplasty is also referred to as radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction (RFVTR). It is a recently developed surgical procedure and involves shrinking of the tissues in the soft palate, tongue or throat. It takes around 30 minutes to execute this surgery. This is perhaps the most effective surgical procedure in treating snoring. It is relatively much painless and has a better success rate than Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty.

Tonsilectomy:

Tonsilectomy is a less invasive surgical procedure and hence, is less painful. It involves stabilization of tongue’s base, thereby preventing it from falling backward while sleeping. In this procedure, a titanium screw is tucked into the lower jaw and a suture is made to pass through the base of the tongue and is then fixed with the screw. The major drawback of this procedure is that it takes much time to heal.

Finally, consult your physician before undergoing any such snoring surgery procedures.

1. Maxillomandibular advancement: It is a complex procedure, which involves cutting of bones that hold the upper and lower jaw.

2. Adenoidectomy: In certain cases, the adenoids present in your respiratory tract tend to overgrow than their actual size. Adenoidectomy is done in such cases to remove the adenoids so that they do not interfere your breathing process.

3. Soft palate surgery: Sometimes, there may be some parts of your soft palate that may disrupt your normal breathing process and hence, you may start snoring. Soft palate surgery removes such parts of your soft palate. It is considered to be one of the most effective surgical procedures to cure snoring. However, you may experience certain amount of pain for up to 10 days after this surgery. Hence, you may also be given some medication to get rid of your pain.

4. Tonsillectomy: This is the simplest stop snoring surgery as compared to other surgeries. This procedure involves removal of enlarged tonsils.

5. Nasal surgery: It is a minor surgical procedure, which involves strengthening of the nasal septum and removal of nasal polyps passage. However, there are chances that you may feel a bit uncomfortable for the first few days after the surgery. You may experience dryness in your mouth or blockage in your nasal passage.

It is good that you opt for stop snoring surgery as your last resort. However, remember that surgeries may not provide you permanent relief. Besides, every type of surgery has certain side-effects.

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty is perhaps the most effective surgery for snoring problems. It involves the removal of uvula, tonsils and few of the soft palates. However, it may not provide a long term solution and may barely last for about a couple of years. Also, it may prove to be too costly. You may also suffer from certain health risks. For instance, you may notice bleeding in the mouth area or uncomfortable feeling in the throat area.

Another type of surgery for snoring is Laser-Assisted Uvulopalatoplasty or LUAP. In this surgery, electric current or laser may be used to remove the soft palate and uvula. This surgical treatment may take huge amount of time and you may have to undergo several sessions.

The most preferred type of surgery for snoring is the Palatal surgery. It prevents the breakdown of oropharyngeal segment. In this procedure, tonsils are removed and the count of soft palate is reduced.

Palatal surgery is the most commonly performed type of surgery for snoring. The objective of this surgery is to prevent the occurrence of oropharyngeal segment breakdown. This procedure is carried out by reducing the amount of soft palates. The surgeons may even remove the tonsils in some cases.

Before opting for any particular type of surgery to treat snoring problems, you need to know that almost all surgical procedures pose certain risks. Therefore, consult a reputed physician before undergoing any such surgery