Efficacy of Submucosal Sodium Tetradecyl Sulfate in the Soft Palate as a Treatment of the Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: A Pilot Study

Background. As described by Mair et al. in 2001, snoreplasty, the application of sclerosant agents in the palate is a promising and cheap alternative to treat snoring. We decided to try this kind of therapy for the management of mild sleep apnea. Study Design. Experimental, longitudinal, prospective, nonrandomized, self-controlled pilot study. Methods. 11 patients were included, all of them with a polysomnographic study showing an Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) from 5 to 20, and with a Müller maneuver showing only retropalatal collapse. Results. We found significant decrease in the number of apneas hypopneas and oxygen desaturation as well as in the snoring index (P < 0.05), although no differences were found in the number of arousals. Conclusion. Sclerosant agents might become a relevant part in the treatment of sleep apnea, in very well-selected patients.