Nonsurgical minimally invasive Er:YAG laser in obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome treatment

FENG Yan; GAO He; LI Dongxia; LI Hongshi.

Abstract：ObjectiveTo explore 12 weeks clinical experience performing the Er:YAG laser treatment on patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome(OSAHS).MethodThe Lase treatment was based on a minimally invasive photo-thermal effect by using Er:YAG laser light on oral mucosa. In a period of 12 weeks, 75 patients having OSAHS syndrome symptoms were treated. All patients received three sessions of the Er:YAG laser treatment (Er:YAG treatment group: 8 000, 4 000 units of subgroup according to the cumulative pulse laser pulse value was; control group: 0 units of subgroup). Er:YAG laser (fotona Fidelis, Germany; output average power: 5.75 W, pulse width: 32 μm, frequency: 10 Hz, single light spot 1 mm in diameter) was applied to the distance of oral mucosal surface of 1 mm, transection of palatal pits for extension to the roots of uvula. Both sides of the stretched to pharyngeal mucosa region of palatal base flat surface, uniform parallel moving hand head, 3 cm2/min, the corresponding count value were treated, 2 weeks and 5 weeks respectively after the 2nd and 3rd time treatment. PSG detection and improvement of snoring scale collection was performed at 12 weeks after laser treatment. ResultCompared with Er:YAG laser 4 000 counting unit group and the control group, the snoring improvement rate in patients in the 8 000 units treatment group improved by 57.2% and the total efficiency improved by 84.6% respectively at 12 weeks after laser treatment (Z=-2.036,P<0.05;Z=-4.155,P<0.01); compared with Er:YAG laser 4 000 counting unit group, the snoring improvement rate in patients in the the control group improved by 18.4% and the total efficiency improved by 16.1% respectively at 12 weeks after laser treatment(Z=-1.034,P>0.05). ConclusionThe Er:YAG laser method has been found to be an effective, minimally invasive and safe method for treating patients with OSAHS.