Abstract
We evaluated the safety and efficacy of performing multilevel radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction (RFVTR) for the treatment of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). Sixty patients with SDB were included in this study. The treatment sites were selected among the soft palate, tongue base, the turbinate, and the tonsils according to the obstruction patterns as determined by dynamic MRI or fiberscopy. Postoperative pain was assessed using the visual analogue scale until 14 days after surgery. The apnea hypopnea index (AHI) and the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) were measured before and at least 12 weeks after the completion of each treatment. In the RFVTR treatment group, both AHI and ESS significantly improved (p<0.001) after the treatment. Postoperative pain in the RFVYR treatment group significantly decreased in comparison to that in the UPPP treatment group (p<0.01) from 1 day after the surgery (day 1). In addition, postoperative pain in the RFVTR treatment group significantly declined from day 2 in comparison to the pain on day 0 (p<0.01). In contrast, the pain in the UPPP treatment group only significantly declined from day 5 (p<0.05). In conclusion, multilevel RFVTR was therefore found to be a safe and effective treatment for SDB, if the optimal treatment site can be accurately selectied.
