title: Patient selection and efficacy of pillar implant technique for treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pillar implant (PIT) is a simple, office-based procedure with minimal morbidity that was introduced in 2003 to treat snoring and mild/moderate obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). We studied the: (1) success rate using subjective symptoms and objective polysomnographic improvement; (2) success rate based on BMI, OSAHS severity and Friedman tongue position (FTP); and (3) its value as an adjunctive or revision procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of 125 patients who underwent the PIT for snoring and OSAHS. Patients were grouped: Group I had PIT only (n = 29); Group II received adjunctive nasal procedures (n = 37), Group III received adjunctive oropharyngeal procedures (n = 55); and Group IV had failed previous UPPP (n = 4).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall subjective and objective "cure" rates were 88.0% and 34.4%, respectively. Group IIb had the best objective cure rate of 46.7%. Neither AHI nor BMI correlated with outcome measures, whereas FTP did correlate. (FTP I and II had improved success vs FTP III and IV). Ten patients had partial extrusion of the PIT. These were removed and new PIT were carried out at a later date.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on a short-term study, the Pillar implant is an effective treatment for snoring and OSAHS in selected patients and can be combined with adjunctive procedures to treat OSAHS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology and Bronchoesophagology, Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Ramakrishnan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vidyasagar
authors.forename: Darius
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bliznikas
authors.forename: Ninos J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Joseph
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D018579:Patient Selection; D017286:Polysomnography; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000628:therapy*; D012913:Snoring / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome