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Results
By Mayo Clinic staffYou or your bed partner may notice a decrease in snoring or episodes of breathing cessation from sleep apnea as soon as the day after the procedure. However, your soft palate will become more rigid over time as the tissue hardens around the implants, so it may take a few months to get the full effect of the implants.
Once implanted, the rods generally aren't removed. Because the Pillar procedure is relatively new, it's unknown how long the implants will be effective.
- Walker RP, et al. Extended follow-up of palatal implants for OSA treatment. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. 2007;137:822.
- Catalano P, et al. Additional palatal implants for refractory snoring. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. 2007;137:105
- Nordgard S, et al. Soft palate implants for the treatment of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. 2006;134:565.
- Nordgard S, et al. Palatal implants: A new method for the treatment of snoring. Acta Otolaryngol. 2004;124:970.
- Sleep apnea. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/SleepApnea/SleepApnea_All.html. Accessed Jan. 27, 2009.
