Splint Shown to Treat Sleep Apnea

A study of an experimental oral appliance called a manibular advancement splint has shown the splint can reduce the number of breathing pauses in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) from 25 to five per hour. The study was published in the July 15, 2003, issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Patients with OSA experience temporary breathing pauses of 10 or more seconds, enough to decrease the amount of oxygen in the blood and brain and to increase the amount of carbon monoxide. This causes headaches, severe daytime sleepiness, slowed mental ability and pulmonary insufficiency. OSA is caused by blockage in the throat or upper airway.

Researchers tested a custom-made splint, designed to reduce upper airway collapsibility, on seven patients with OSA. The splint resulted in a complete response in five patients, resolving symptoms and reducing the number of breathing pauses from 25 to less than five per hour. In two patients, the splint led to a partial response, improving symptoms and reducing the number of pauses by 50%. Treatment failed altogether in three patients. The study was conducted by researchers at St. George Hospital at the University of New South Wales, department of respiratory medicine, Sydney (Australia).




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