Recent studies have shown that most OSA patients have obstruction of the palate and base of the tongue. The current standard treatment for OSA is treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to prevent airway collapse. Although usually effective, it is intolerable in at least 40% of patients. Patients who are unable to use CPAP may consider other options, including surgery.
Most surgical procedures do not require the use of any device on a daily basis, alleviating the lack of compliance associated with CPAP. Existing evidence suggests that successful surgical treatment to improve OSA also reduces cardiovascular risk. A variety of surgical options are available, including reduction of nasal congestion, oropharyngeal dilation (palatopharyngoplasty, sphincter dilatation, or palatine-propelled pharyngoplasty), hypopharyngeal dilation, and maxillary propulsion. All procedures are irreversible and carry a high risk of morbidity. Unfortunately, current surgical methods are limited by technical difficulty, the possibility of serious perioperative complications, and surgical side effects, especially those related to speech and swallowing dysfunction, with reported incidence rates as high as 60%. In addition, to be effective, surgical treatment must address all potential sources of upper airway obstruction, primarily the collapse of the soft palate and/or base of the tongue during sleep. Based on the clinical need to reduce or eliminate OSA and its limited treatment options, there is an urgent need for less invasive and more effective surgical treatment of OSA.