Recently, a new surgical technique to treat snoring has been widely publicized in the lay press. This procedure has been called Injection Snore Plasty. Injection Snore Plasty is effective by damaging the mucosa of the uvula and lower soft palate. Resultant scar tissue stiffens the palate and reduces snoring.
Previous procedures have been described where the mucosa or lining of the throat is damaged with the use of lasers or electric cautery. The resultant scar tissue has resulted in reduction in snoring complaints.
Advocates of Injection Snore Plasty cite as a potential advantage a lower degree of pain following the procedure.
Injection Snore Plasty utilizes a sclerotherapy agent to destroy tissues. This agent is FDA approved for sclerotherapy of varicose veins, however, it is not FDA approved for injection into the soft palate or other tissues to treat snoring.
B. Tucker Woodson, MD, Diplomat of the American Board of Sleep Medicine, and Member of the Sleep Disorders Committee of the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery states, "Published studies suggest that Injection Snore Plasty is helpful in patients with favorable anatomy and very mild or no sleep apnea. It is a chemical cauterization of the tissues of the palate that is very similar to previous procedures which used lasers or electric surgery. Patients with mild snoring may benefit if there are no other sites in the airway that are causing obstruction, but it is inappropriate in patients with sleep apnea."
The lay press has publicized the cost of the procedure as low as $35.00 which is inaccurate. This cost figure represents the study's authors expense at the Walter Reed Army Hospital for supplies such as needles, syringes, and local anesthetic.
In August 2001, the single company manufacturing this sclerotherapy agent removed this agent from the market. Non-U.S. pharmaceutical companies may provide sclerotherapy agents for this procedure.