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ePaper created 2016-04-05, 13:01:42 | version 1.38.0
| industry report 28 laser 1 2016 Histological effects of NightLase® in the soft palate of rats A pilot study Authors: Aslıhan Üsümez, Tugba Unver, Emre Aytugar & Tugçe Kıran, Turkey Fig. 1: Application of the PS04 handpiece to the soft palate of the rat. Introduction Snoring is a common problem in adults that af- fects between 20–50 % of the population.1–3 Al- though there is no exact definition of snoring, the termindicatesabreathingsoundthatarisesduring nighttime or daytime sleep.4 The sound of snoring is usually a consequence of the vibration of pha- ryngeal soft tissue (most commonly soft palate), so treatment focuses on reducing these vibra- tions.4, 5 There are many types of surgical treatment pro- cedures that have been defined up to now.5–9 In addition to these surgical treatments, some non- surgical procedures are available.10, 11 Among the treatment options, the main goal is to find a sim- ple, safe and effective procedure that benefits a speedy recovery and return to normal daily life. In the past, Nd:YAG laser irradiation was used for stiffening the soft palate using a low energy method as a less invasive alternative. Nd:YAG laser stiffening of the soft palate was reported to be simple, safe and effective for reducing the length of the soft palate in the canine model.3 Recently a new laser irradiation tool was introduced in the market known as NightLase®, which claims to be a non-invasive and effective method for the treat- ment of snoring and sleep apnea. This treatment is reported to be a fast, safe and efficient method for decreasing the amplitude of snoring through the use of superficial Er:YAG laser light.10 However, there is no information in the literature about the histological effects of this treatment model on liv- ing tissues. Therefore, this study aims to assess the effects of Er:YAG laser irradiation on the histolog- ical structures of the soft palate in rat models. Materials and methods Twenty adult female Wistar albino rats weighing 200 to 250 g were used in this study. Rats were randomised into two groups as an experimental (n=10) and a control group (n=10) following the approval of an animal use protocol by the Bezmi- alem Vakif University Animal Care Committee. The rats were anaesthetised and Er:YAG laser energy (LightWalker AT, Fotona, Slovenia) was de- livered with a snoring handpiece (PS04, Light- Fig. 1 12016