Cautery-assisted palatal stiffening operation

Outpatient surgical therapy of habitual snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea has evolved significantly in recent years. We introduce the cautery-assisted palatal stiffening operation (CAPSO) and detail its important advantages over uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty, and palatal radiofrequency ablation. CAPSO is critically analyzed with regard to extent of surgery, need for repetition of procedure, results, complications, predictors of success, and cost analysis. CAPSO is a mucosal surgery that induces a midline palatal scar that stiffens the floppy palate. Two hundred six consecutive patients underwent CAPSO over an 18-month period, followed by office examination and telephone evaluation. The success rate was initially 92% and dipped to 77% after 1 year. CAPSO eliminates excessive snoring caused by palatal flutter and has success rates that were comparable with those of traditional palatal surgery. CAPSO is a simple and safe office procedure that avoids the need for multiple-stage operations and does not rely on expensive laser systems or radiofrequency generators and hand pieces.