Do palatal implants really reduce snoring in long-term follow-up?

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To evaluate the efficacy of palatal implants in primary snoring patients and to determine the long-term results.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective clinical trial.

METHODS

Twenty-one adult primary snorers treated with palatal implants were reviewed. Apnea-hypopnea indexes of all the patients were <5. Patients and their partners were evaluated together at 0, 30, and 90 days and at 6, 12, and 18 months. The partners' visual analog scale (VAS) for snoring intensity and the patients' overall satisfaction, along with the Epworth sleepiness scale, were used for assessments.

RESULTS

The mean VAS score was reduced from 9.1 +/- 1.1 to 5.4 +/- 2.7 at the 3rd month, and to 5.1 +/- 3.15 at the 1st year (P < .05). At the 6th month, VAS scores of snoring intensity were reduced >50% in 13 of the patients (61.9%) and 52.3% (n = 11) at the 12th month. Eleven successfully treated patients and their partners were revisited at the 18th month, and both recommended the implant to others. The patient satisfaction rate was over 80% in 14 of the patients after 1 year. The mean ESS scores decreased from 7.8 to 5.5 after 180 days (P < .05). There was a strong correlation between low oxygen desaturation index and treatment success (coefficient, 0.779; P < .001). There were no postprocedure complications, such as bleeding, infection, and extrusion.

CONCLUSIONS

In primary snoring patients, pillar implant is a safe and easy single procedure. At the 18th-month follow-up, partners' VAS score improvement was 53%, along with 80% patient satisfaction.