Physicians at Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium, have successfully
treated patients with obstructive sleep apnea with a novel surgical
procedure, according to a press release from Antwerp University Hospital,
Antwerp, Belgium.
The procedure involves the Advance™ System, which consists of an implant in
the tongue and lower jaw to prevent upper airway collapse during sleep. The
preliminary results of this new procedure in the first 10 patients are
promising, finding a significant improvement of apnea index in all the
patients. Snoring and daytime sleepiness were also significantly reduced.
The Advance procedure has low odds of morbidity and currently requires one
night of hospital stay. According the press release, the procedure has the
ability to prevent the tongue from obstructing the upper airway and the
ability to adjust the implant to the need of the patient under local
anesthesia.
