title: Extended follow-up of palatal implants for OSA treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate long-term safety and outcomes of palatal implants for patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Continuation of a prospective case series of patients with palatal implants. Polysomnography, daytime sleepiness, and snoring intensity were measured at baseline, 90 days, and extended follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-two (42%) patients from the previous study were followed for a median of 435.5 days. Thirteen were classified as responders, based on their 90-day evaluation. 76.9% of initial responders maintained improvements in apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), daytime sleepiness, and snoring at extended follow-up. Nine patients were initial nonresponders for AHI and daytime sleepiness and remained unchanged at extended follow-up. However, snoring for these nine patients initially improved, and the improvement continued through extended follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Initial response or nonresponse to palatal implants remains stable over an extended period. The generalizability of these results is unknown because of significant loss to follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Study results report safety and beneficial long-term outcomes of palatal implants for mild to moderate OSA treatment in selected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Loyola University Medical Center, Hinsdale, IL, USA. rpwsnorenomore@aol.com
authors.forename: Regina P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Howard L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: Martin L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hopp
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Greene
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010160:Palate, Soft; D017286:Polysomnography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000628:therapy*; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology; D012913:Snoring / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome