title: Efficacy of submucosal sodium tetradecyl sulfate in the soft palate as a treatment of the mild obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a pilot study.
abstract: Background. As described by Mair et al. in 2001, snoreplasty, the application of sclerosant agents in the palate is a promising and cheap alternative to treat snoring. We decided to try this kind of therapy for the management of mild sleep apnea. Study Design. Experimental, longitudinal, prospective, nonrandomized, self-controlled pilot study. Methods. 11 patients were included, all of them with a polysomnographic study showing an Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) from 5 to 20, and with a Müller maneuver showing only retropalatal collapse. Results. We found significant decrease in the number of apneas hypopneas and oxygen desaturation as well as in the snoring index (P < 0.05), although no differences were found in the number of arousals. Conclusion. Sclerosant agents might become a relevant part in the treatment of sleep apnea, in very well-selected patients.
authors.affiliation: Clínica de Trastornos del Sueño, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), 06726 Mexico City, DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Labra
authors.forename: Reyes
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haro-Valencia
authors.forename: Angel-Daniel
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Huerta-Delgado
authors.forename: Ulises
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Jimenez-Correa
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Narvaez