Treatment of snoring using the Celon method

Treatment of snoring using the Celon method characteristic

Unpleasant sounds that are issued by some people during their sleep are referred to as snoring. They arise as a result of impaired air flow through the airways during nighttime rest.

Factors that are important in the pathogenesis of snoring are:

• construction of the airways (patients with narrow airways are more predisposed to the occurrence of snoring),
• obesity and overweight,
• smoking,
• alcohol consumption,
• the use of certain medications (e.g., anti-epileptic or hypnotic agents).
Snoring is a problem that disrupts the lives of many people - the problems associated with this phenomenon affect both the snoring and its immediate surroundings. It is not spoken of loudly, but unpleasant sounds disturb sleep in the homes of many people - statistics suggest that the numbers of snoring Poles should be given even in millions.

If snoring is so common, can it be considered as a problem? The answer is definitely yes. It's enough to mention the difficulties in partner relationships that may be caused by snoring. The snoring person is asleep, but the man in the bed next to her - not necessarily anymore. Thus, snoring can lead to sleeping in separate rooms as well as to various types of arguments in relationships. Some patients snore so loudly that they wake up not only those close to them but also those who sleep in distant rooms.

Snoring, however, is not only the source of potential problems in the family - it can cause various difficulties also to the person who makes the unpleasant sounds mentioned during sleep. Some of the snoring patients are struggling with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. In the course of this unit many times during the night there are episodes in which the patient simply does not breathe. It is therefore understandable that the person is reduced in oxygen supply to the body. The consequences of such situations can be varied: patients may be irritated in the morning, they may also have (sometimes even significant) disorders of concentration and attention. Even if they sleep sufficiently theoretically the number of hours, they may experience a strong sense of tiredness. These problems may cause problems with proper functioning while performing professional duties, but even result in the occurrence of life-threatening situations - chronic fatigue may increase the risk of such serious events as road accidents. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome may also be associated with other problems, as it leads to an increased risk of hypertension, heart attacks or strokes.

If anyone had any doubts beforehand whether snoring should be fought, after reading the above information they should be definitely unraveled: snoring can be, and even - as the vast majority of specialists say - you have to cure. Patients may come across advertisements for various types of pharmacological preparations that would reduce snoring. Are they effective - it is really a very debatable issue. Another option is the surgical treatment of snoring. Here, medicine can boast of both the number of available solutions and those achieved after performing the treatment of snoring effects. Nowadays, snoring patients can choose both classic surgical procedures and use definitely less invasive methods of snoring treatment. The second of these categories includes the treatment of snoring using the Celon method.

Treatment for snoring using the Celon method benefits

Patients may choose the Celon method for the treatment of snoring due to the large number of advantages of this treatment. First of all, it can be recommended even to people who have little time every day. This results from two aspects: the procedure itself takes only a short time (it takes just over a dozen minutes to complete it), after having followed the Celon procedure, there is no need to stay in the hospital - the patient returns home the same day. It is also worth mentioning the invasiveness of this procedure - it is very small, during the procedure it is not necessary to even apply the scalpel once. Patients may have some dilemmas related to the action of high tissue temperature during the procedure. These dilemmas can be dispelled because the temperature is appropriately selected: it affects the structure of the soft palate (that is, those to which it is to affect), but does not significantly damage the surrounding tissues. A positive aspect of generating thermal energy during the treatment is, in turn, that the blood vessels are coagulated - vessels that coagulate and do not bleed.

The benefit of the treatment of Celon snoring can also be seen in the fact that it is possible to intervene not only within the soft palate during the procedure. The exact type of interactions depends on what changes will be detected in the laryngological examination of the patient - if necessary using the Celon method, it is also possible to undertake interactions in the overgrown nasal turbinates, palatine tonsils or to shorten the too long tongue.

Indications for the procedure

Indications for the treatment of snoring using the Celon method are:

• clear, significant and frequent snoring (especially when it is associated with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome),
• flaccidity and excessive length of the soft palate,
• hypertrophy of the nasal turbinates,
• extension of the tongue,
• hypertrophy of palatine tonsils.
The treatment may also be indicated when the patient needs a treatment for snoring, and the patient does not want to use other, more invasive methods of therapy of this problem. This is particularly true for people who would like to avoid surgical intervention - the Celon method is not very invasive and it is not necessary to use a scalpel, therefore it may be a beneficial solution for the above-mentioned patients.

Contraindications for the procedure

In general, no contraindications for the treatment of Celon snoring are mentioned. The procedure may be carried out in adult, snoring people who are in a good general health condition.

Before the surgery

The preliminary stage before the treatment of snoring with radio frequency waves is to conduct an ENT consultation. During her, the doctor asks the patient both questions about snoring, as well as those focusing on the general state of health of the patient. The next stage of consultations, usually carried out after the physical examination, is physical examination - in this case ENT. In particular, those structures that may be responsible for the patient's snoring are evaluated. If it is found that the treatment of snoring with the Celon method can bring positive effects for the patient, then it is possible to arrange the date of the treatment.

Before the surgical treatment of snoring, patients do not have to make any special preparations. The most important thing is to apply for a procedure after a few hours break from eating - it is believed that the meal should be consumed at the latest four hours before the planned time of the procedure.

Type of anaesthesia

The treatment of snoring using the Celon method is so low invasive that it is not even necessary to introduce patients into general anaesthesia - local anaesthesia is used for this procedure.

How does the procedure work?

The first step in the treatment of snoring using the Celon method is to anesthetize those areas that will be treated. After making sure that the procedure will be painless for the patient, it becomes possible to join the main part of it. In the tissues from which it is expected to shrink (eg in the region of the soft palate or nasal turbinates) a small applicator is introduced several times. It contains so-called a bipolar electrode that generates radio frequency electromagnetic waves. Under the influence of these waves in the area undergoing surgery there is a temporary increase in temperature (usually up to about 80 degrees Celsius). The parameters of radio frequency waves are carefully selected, the temperature within the tissues is also constantly monitored - in order to prevent damage to surrounding tissues, when the temperature reaches the above mentioned threshold, the Celon device ceases to generate impulses.

The effect of the temperature increase in the area undergoing treatment is the induction of coagulation and sterile inflammation. Already during the procedure tissue shrinking to some extent occurs, however, the full effect is obtained when it occurs over time, and then to complete the processes of fibrosis and tissue healing.
The total duration of the treatment of Celon snoring treatment is not long - it usually reaches a maximum of 45 minutes.

Time and course of convalescence

Basically, directly after the treatment of snoring using the Celon method, on the same day, the patient returns home. Theoretically, it is even possible to go directly from the treatment facility to work - however, it should be remembered that during the first few days after surgery, a significant amount of voice effort should be avoided. After treatment with the Celon method, patients may experience some discomfort (such as pain or discomfort within the treated area), but they do not persist for a long time - it is considered that they disappear within a maximum of one week.

Effects after surgery

In general, Celon treatments are considered to be highly effective - you can get an improvement even in 90% of people treated in this way. The initial effect of snoring treatment with the Celon method can, however, even frighten patients - it can lead to an increase in the intensity of snoring. Concerns, however, can be averted - this phenomenon is completely natural and is associated with temporary, occurring in some patients after the procedure, swelling of the throat structures. This edema disappears within a dozen or a dozen or so days. After this time, there may gradually be a noticeable improvement in the intensity of snoring. The treatment aims to reduce the risk of vibration of various structures, eg the soft palate. The treated area over time becomes less and less susceptible to vibrations, which is possible due to (gradually occurring) processes of tissue healing and fibrosis. The final result is stiffening of the tissues, which occurs about 4-5 weeks after the treatment of snoring using the Celon method.

Recommendations after the procedure

Patients can consume food even an hour after the surgery. However, there are some restrictions on eating, which should be maintained for about a week. People treated with the Celon method should avoid alcohol, very hot beverages and spicy foods for seven days, as well as give up on the above-mentioned time consuming foods that could irritate the oral structure (as examples of such foods can be given salty snacks or other foods with considerable hardness). After the treatment for a minimum of 3 days, you should avoid voice effort, and refrain from using the sauna or hot baths.

After going through the Celon snoring treatment, patients may experience some discomfort, pain or temporary difficulty in swallowing. The mentioned problems are expressed the most in the first few days after the surgery, and then they disappear spontaneously. Patients who would like to alleviate their complaints can also recommend the use of over-the-counter painkillers as well as throat disinfectants available in the form of lozenges.

How long do the effects last after the treatment last?

The effects induced by the treatment are permanent: the processes of fibrosis occurring in the tissues are irreversible. Over time, along with the aging of the body, there may be a loss of the elasticity of tissues and the original effect may, however, be weakened. However, not all patients have such a phenomenon, except that the rate of such processes is a very individual feature.

How to avoid complications after the procedure?

In order to reduce the risk of complications, patients should first and foremost follow the medical recommendations received after the procedure. Refraining from eating certain foods for a few days should not pose a significant problem or limit the patient, and thanks to such a procedure, the threat of unpleasant complications after the Celon method can really be reduced. The same applies to the aspect of avoiding exposure to high temperatures - refraining from a sauna or a hot shower can in fact significantly affect the reduction of the duration of possible postoperative edema.

Patients should also be sensitized to watch their condition closely. If there are any disturbing ailments, symptoms of considerable intensity or any unusual event that they have not been informed about, they should definitely report to the doctor immediately. If even after the surgery some complications appear, the sooner they are detected and the earlier actions are taken to control them, the less risk of their consolidation and the greater the chance that possible complications will disappear sooner.

Possible complications after the procedure

Complications after the treatment of Celon snoring are rarely encountered - the reason for this is even the fact that the procedure is extremely low invasive. The most common complication is bleeding, however, it should be noted that this phenomenon is rare anyway. Heat energy generated during the treatment affects the tissues involved in the phenomenon of snoring, but also on nearby blood vessels. Blood transporting structures are also subject to coagulation so that possible bleeding is prevented. Other, less frequent complications after treatment with Celon method, are infections of tissues subjected to the procedure and formation of fistulas.

Theoretically, complications such as edema, irritation of oral structures or pain can be treated as complications. However, they are rather predictable consequences of the surgery, and not typical complications. In addition, their character is usually insignificant and they disappear - in a short time - completely spontaneously.

Recommended additional treatments after the procedure

Treatment with Celon snoring can be carried out as an independent procedure. In some patients, in order to get the most maximized effects, two series of this surgery are performed. However, this can only be done when the tissue swelling is resolved after the first procedure the patient has undergone. Some doctors may combine surgery performed with the described method together with another procedure to stiffen the soft palate - we refer here to the Pillar method, which is based on the introduction of small implants to the soft palate structures.

Author: Tomasz Nęcki, MD

Literature:
Ed. Kenny P. Pang, Brian W. Rotenberg, B. Tucker Woodson, "Advanced Surgical Techniques in Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea", 108-109; Tatla T. et al., "Celon Celon radiofrequency thermo-ablative palatoplasty for snoring - a pilot study", J Laryngol Otol. 2003 Oct; 117 (10): 801-6; Baisch A., "Combined radiofrequency assisted uvulopalatoplasty in the treatment of snoring", Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2009 Jan; 266 (1): 125-30. doi: 10.1007 / s00405-008-0709-6. Epub 2008 May 16.