Somnoplasty
Somnoplasty
Somnoplasty (pronounced som-no-plas-tee) is a type of surgery that is used to treat sleep apnea, snoring, and other sleep disorders. The term is derived from the Latin words "somnus" meaning sleep, and "plasty" meaning molding or forming.
Procedure
Somnoplasty uses radiofrequency ablation to shrink, tighten, or remove tissue in the upper airway, including the tonsils, uvula, soft palate, and tongue. This can help to reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea and snoring by improving airflow through the upper airway.
Risks and Complications
Like all surgeries, somnoplasty carries some risks. These can include pain, bleeding, infection, and changes in voice or swallowing. However, these risks are generally low, and most people recover from the procedure without any complications.
Related Terms
- Sleep Apnea: A serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep.
- Snoring: A common condition that can be a sign of sleep apnea.
- Radiofrequency Ablation: A medical procedure where part of the electrical conduction system of the heart, tumor or other dysfunctional tissue is ablated using the heat generated from medium frequency alternating current.
- Tonsils: Two oval-shaped pads of tissue at the back of the throat, one tonsil on each side.
- Uvula: The fleshy extension at the back of the soft palate which hangs above the throat.
- Soft Palate: The soft part at the back of the roof of the mouth.
- Tongue: A muscular organ in the mouth of most vertebrates that manipulates food for mastication, and is used in the act of swallowing.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Somnoplasty
- Wikipedia's article - Somnoplasty
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski