title: Objective benefit of laser palatoplasty for non-apnoeic snoring.
abstract: Laser palatoplasty (LPP) is widely used for the treatment of non-apnoeic snoring, despite the lack of objective data supporting its use. We report measurements of snoring in a prospective study of LPP, and we compare the results with a previous study of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). Twenty patients with an apnoea/hypopnoea index < 20 h-1 underwent LPP for habitual snoring. Overnight sound recordings were compared before and 6 months after operation using three objective indices; L, (the level exceeded by the loudest 1% of sound), L5 (the level exceeded by the loudest 5% of sound) and P50 (% total sleep time above 50 dBA). The subjective impression of snoring severity (Wilcoxon test, P < 0.001), and objective indices L1 and P50 (t-test, P < 0.001) showed significant reductions after LPP. The mean change in L1 was 4.2 dBA, comparable to that we previously reported for UPPP, while P50 was reduced to less than one-third its preoperative value. No other sleep variables changed significantly following LPP. We conclude that LPP results in reduced snoring volume comparable to that following UPPP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Drinnan
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Close
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Smithson
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Gibson
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000601:surgery*; D017286:Polysomnography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012913:Snoring / Q000601:surgery*