WEDNESDAY, Sep. 15, 2004 (HealthDayNews) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first implantable device to treat sleep apnea, a common disorder in which breathing stops during sleep for 10 seconds or more, sometimes more than 300 times a night. This often leads to restless sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness.
Obstructive sleep apnea, the disorder's most common form affecting 12 million Americans, usually occurs when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. This can cause patients to snore loudly and wake up as many as 20 to 30 times per hour.
Restore Medical's Pillar Procedure involves implanting three inserts into the soft pallet, stiffening the tissue and lessening airway obstruction, the company said in a statement. The inserts, each less than an inch long, are made from a woven soft polyester that's been used for years in other implantable medical products, the statement said.
The device is installed during a single office visit using a local anesthetic. The company said the procedure, first approved last year to treat common snoring, is completely reversible.
