[Optical stimulation method (Snore-Stop) and tongue retainer (Snore-Master) without relevance in therapy of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring].

Recently intra- und extraoral devices are increasingly used in order to treat obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. We examined the value of an optically stimulating system ("eye-cover", Snore-Stop) and a tongue-retainer (Snore-Master) as treatment of the obstructive sleep apnoe or snoring. In case of the eye-cover is a microphone integrated, which detects acoustic signals (e.g. snoring). After detection of snoring optical stimuli are generated in front of the eyes. This is intended to induce an arousal of the patient, without awaking him, causing a change of body position and this reduces the snoring or apneas. For the examination of the eye-cover in 26 patients (23 men, 55.6 +/- 10.3 years) polygraphic studies were performed while sleeping one night with the eye-cover and one night without, respectively. Visual analogue scales (VAS) were used in order to measure quality of life and sleep and the adverse effects of the device. To examine the tongue-retainer 14 patients (13 men, aged 52.9 +/- 11.8 years) were measured polygraphically. Again the subjective scores were assessed using the VAS. The principle of the tongue-retainer is to create a hollow space in front of the teeth, in which the tongue is positioned. Fixation of the tongue in this ventral position is thought to enlarge the mesopharyngeal area in order to reduce the upper airway obstruction. For both devices the index of snoring, the apnea-hypopnea-index, the index of desaturation, the mean and minimal SaO2 and SaO2 < 90 % in % of the night did not change significantly. Furthermore the subjective perception of the patients concerning their quality of sleep and life did not change. Moreover, despite of an adequate adaptation-period the use of the tongue-retainer was associated with considerable adverse effects. Neither the eye-cover nor the tongue-retainer could improve the severity of obstructive sleep apnoe or snoring.