Stop Snoring. Sleep Better.

The Pillar® Procedure: Minnesota’s Alternative Treatment for Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition usually indicated by troubled snoring. In most cases, it occurs when the soft palate in the back of the throat relaxes during sleep. This can cause the airway to close, preventing the flow of air to the lungs. The restriction of air can last for several seconds and these episodes can occur several times per hour. The preferred treatment for sleep apnea is Constant Positive Airway Pressure, or CPAP, which involves the snorer wearing a mask that is attached to a machine that keeps the airway open by pushing air into it. The problem is that many snorers can’t tolerate CPAP. They find the mask to be too uncomfortable or the noise from the machine to be too distracting. What should be a solution becomes a hindrance.

Fortunately, there is a great alternative provided by The Snoring Center’s board certified physicians in our Burnsville and Edina offices…and it is called The Pillar® Procedure.

In this minimally invasive, office-based procedure, The Snoring Center’s physician inserts tiny implants into the soft palate. These implants help the soft palate maintain rigidity during sleep and prevent the airway from closing. The procedure is quick and painless and has minimal side effects if any. On occasion, a patient may experience a slight irritation in the throat that lasts just a few hours.

The Snoring Center’s physicians can diagnose, consult and treat a patient in one day. In many cases, the entire process lasts less than an hour and patients can return to work immediately.

The Pillar® Procedure is just one of the medically advanced treatments we utilize at The Snoring Center.

The other proven treatments we utilize include:
• Coblation Turbinate Reduction
• Palate Coblation
• RFA
• Laser Tonsillectomy
• Home Sleep Study
• Oral Appliances
• Snoring Surgery
• CPAP

In Burnsville and Edina, The Snoring Center’s physicians have helped thousands of patients find relief from sleep apnea and problem snoring by taking a conscientious, rational approach to treating the physiological problems that lead to snoring. We focus on long-term solutions, not just quick fixes. Our patients regain the rejuvenating powers of restful, healthy sleep and gain an overall improvement in their lifestyle.

Again, sleep apnea is a very serious problem. If you suffer from problem snoring, we encourage you to speak to your primary physician or call us at our offices in Minnesota. Make your sleep apnea problem go away today!

Meet Your Doctor: Philip Rapport, MD, Medical Director, Burnsville, and Edina, MN

Philip Rapport graduated from the University of Michigan and the Ohio State University College of Medicine. He completed his residency and fellowship in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Minnesota where he also earned a Master’s degree in Otolaryngology. Dr. Rapport joined Minneapolis Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in 1980.

Dr. Rappot is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Rapport is also a member of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and is an Associate in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Minnesota.

He has special interest in the treatment of sinus, ear and sleep problems and has extensive experience with special procedures such as Somnoplasty for nasal congestion, Balloon Sinuplasty for sinus infections and Pillar Palatal implants for snoring and sleep apnea.

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