Are you a candidate for this procedure?  If you suffer from nasal obstruction, snoring or sleep apnea, then you may be a candidate for Somnoplasty. Learn more about this Breakthrough Technology that can help you breathe easier.
 How can I get relief?
The Somnoplasty procedure is a safe, fast, and effective way to relieve nasal obstruction due to enlarged turbinates. The procedure is performed in the physician's office or outpatient setting under local anesthesia, and typically takes less than 30 minutes.
What is Radio Frequency of the Turbinates?
The somnoplasty procedure uses low-power radiofrequency energy to gently reduce the tissues in the inferior turbinate. Radiofrequency energy is delivered beneath the surface layer, or mucosa, of the inferior turbinate. The treated tissue is heated just enough to create an area of coagulation. Over the next three to six weeks, the treated tissue is removed naturally by the body, relieving the obstruction.
What should I expect?
The somnoplasty procedure relieves chronic nasal obstruction, usually without the pain associated with conventional or laser-assisted surgeries. There may be some swelling and discomfort for a few days following the Somnoplasty procedure. Over the next three to six weeks, you should start to experience improved nasal airflow. Most patients do not require any kind of medication.
What is Chronic Nasal Obstruction?
The enlargement of the inferior nasal turbinates typically causes chronic nasal congestion. The nasal turbinates are small bony structures covered by mucous membranes (mucosa) that protrude into the nasal airway. Nasal obstruction caused by enlarged turbinates is commonly associated with allergies and rhinitis, the inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose. When this occurs, the blood vessels inside the membranes expand, causing the turbinates to become enlarged and obstruct the flow of air through the nose.
Snoring
How will my physician investigate my Snoring?
If you are considering treatment for your snoring, it is essential to rule out obstructive sleep apnea. A careful examination of your medical history will be done. An overnight sleep test is the accepted method of evaluating your snoring and breathing patterns. Your doctor will discuss the diagnostic alternatives available and recommend the best test for you.
Am I a candidate for Radio Frequency of the Soft Palate?
If you snore loudly and frequently, and do not have other breathing disorders, the somnoplasty procedure may be the solution for you. Your physician will be able to evaluate your situation and determine whether or not you are a candidate for the somnoplasty procedure.
How will my Snoring be treated?
Non-surgical approaches include weight loss and other lifestyle modifications or the use of an oral appliance to reposition the jaw during sleep. A variety of traditional snoring remedy surgeries are available to reduce the excess tissue. A revolutionary procedure treating snoringis now available. The somnoplasty procedure gently reduces and stiffens the tissues in the soft palate and uvula, and does so without the pain associated with conventional and laser-assisted surgeries.
What is Radio Frequency of the Soft Palate?
Somnoplasty uses low-power, low-temperature radiofrequency energy to treat a well-defined area in the uvula or soft palate. The procedure takes place in either a physician's office or an outpatient setting. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia, and typically takes less than 30 minutes. Radiofrequency energy is delivered beneath the surface layer of the soft palate called the mucosa. The treated tissue is heated just enough to create an area of coagulation. Over the next four to six weeks, the treated tissue is naturally removed by the body, reducing the volume and stiffening the area responsible for your snoring. There may be some swelling and discomfort for a few days following the procedure, not unlike the feeling of an oncoming cold. During the next month or two you should experience a gradual decrease in your snoring. Depending on your level of snoring, the Somnoplasty procedure may need to be repeated. Since the delicate lining of the palate is protected, the Somnoplasty procedure is virtually painless and allows for a quick recovery.
What causes Snoring?
Snoring occurs when floppy tissue in the airway relaxes during sleep and vibrates. Most snoring is caused by an enlarged soft palate and uvula at the back of the mouth, though the tongue, tonsils, adenoids and congested nasal passages can also contribute to the sound. The level of snoring can be aggravated by excess weight, alcohol intake and smoking.
Is Snoring dangerous to my health?
Snoring may be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a serious disorder in which the snorer stops breathing several times an hour during sleep. Your physician will perform a full examination to determine whether you are a "simple snorer" or if you have a more significant breathing disorder.
Sleep Apnea
How will I be diagnosed?
Ask your doctor to assess your situation. Typically, an overnight sleep test is the accepted method of evaluating breathing patterns and identifying possible sleep disturbances, such as obstructive sleep apnea. After a careful review of your medical history, your physician will discuss the diagnostic alternatives available and recommend the best test for you.
How can I be treated?
There are a number of alternatives. Somnoplasty is a new minimally invasive treatment that reduces and stiffens tissues obstructing the upper airway. There are other approaches such as nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) that require wearing a facial mask every night, or conventional surgery that can be performed to enlarge the airway.
What is Radio Frequency of the Base of Tongue?
For obstructive sleep apnea, the Somnoplasty procedure uses low-power, low-temperature radiofrequency energy to treat a well-defined area in the tongue. The procedure takes place under local anesthesia and typically takes 30 to 45 minutes. Radiofrequency energy is delivered beneath the surface layer of the tongue. The treated tissue is heated just enough to create an area of coagulation. Over the next three to eight weeks the treated tissue is naturally removed from the body, reducing the volume and stiffening the area to keep the airway open during sleep.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea? Obstructive sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that results from the partial or total obstruction of the upper airway during sleep. When tissue in the back of the mouth, throat, and/or nose obstructs airflow during sleep, patients suffer an apnea (total interruption of the flow of air to the lungs for at least ten sounds) or a hypopnea (partial interruption of airflow). When this occurs, the body responds by interrupting sleep to restart breathing.
Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea dangerous to my health? Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious disorder that can have a long-term impact on your health. Because obstructive sleep apnea causes you to stop breathing several times an hour during sleep, oxygen levels in your blood drop, forcing your heart to work harder. Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension and arrhythmias, and impaired daytime functioning.
Gulf War Missle Tracking Technology Used in Sinus Surgery!
 The St. Joseph Nasal Sinus Center is one of the first programs in the western United States and one a few hospitals in California to offer a new, three-dimensional computerized image guidance system for sinus surgery. The InstaTrak System, developed with Gulf War missile tracking technology, allows surgeons to work deep inside the sinus cavities, within millimeters of delicate areas of the eyes and brain, the new system is nothing short of revolutionary. The InstaTrak System provides a critical element previously missing in sinus surgery - depth perception. Before there was just a CT scan, which the surgeon had to try to correlate with the patient's anatomy. InstaTrak allows surgeons to go into all the sinuses to remove disease while avoiding critical structures of the brain, eyes, major blood vessels and pituitary gland.
But to surgeons who must work deep inside the sinus cavities, within millimeters of delicate areas of the eyes and brain, the new system is little short of revolutionary. It allows our panel surgeons to take their current skills and experience and add a margin of safety. We think it will become the standard of care. The InstaTrak System provides a critical element previously missing in sinus surgery - depth perception. Before there was just a CT scan, which the surgeon had to try to correlate with the patient's anatomy. InstaTrak allows surgeons to go into all the sinuses to remove disease and avoid critical structures of the brain, eyes, major blood vessels and pituitary gland by enhancing the surgeon's confidence.
 Before surgery, the patient undergoes a CT scan, wearing the InstaTrak headset. Placed on the bridge of the nose and in the external ear canals, the headset is used with the CT scan to create a three-dimensional road map of the sinus anatomy. During surgery, the surgeon uses a special suction device tipped with electromagnetic sensors to register, or create an exact correlation between the location of the "3-D" CT scan. As it stays fixed in relation to the patient's anatomy, the headset compensates for head movement as it automates registration.
 What this means to surgeons is the ability to "see around corners" - to determine with extreme accuracy where and how close they are to important structures within the surrounding sinuses. The precision is particularly important when landmarks of the sinuses have been changed by previous surgery resulting in fewer complications.
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