Effect of Palatal Botulinum Toxin Injection in Habitual Snoring

Abstract

Snoring is a loud buzzing noise caused by the soft palate and pillar vibration. Loud snoring at least three nights per week is described as habitual snoring (HS). Aim of the Study: To evaluate the effect of palatal botulinum toxin in snoring patients. Patients and Methods: An Experimental clinical trial study was conducted on thirty-seven patients with habitual snoring between July 2021 and January 2022. The participants and their partners completed a questionnaire submitted before and after injection. Recordings of snoring sounds before injection (as a baseline) and after injection were monitored by a mobile application designed to record and analyze snoring (Goodsomia Lab.). Unilateral injections of 10 botulinum toxin type A units were done into the soft palate muscles. Result: Snoring was improved in all patients, with no significant side effects reported. Epworth Sleepiness Scale was 9.9 ± 0.9 before botulinum toxin injection and 8.2 ± 1.7 one week after injection, while the snoring index was 131 ± 66 and 61.5 ± 28, respectively. The average Intensity of Snoring and maximal Intensity of Snoring before botulinum injection were 57 ± 7.5 and 90.5 ± 1.6, respectively, and changed to 44 ± 4.2 and 87.8 ± 1.9 seven days after injection. Regarding the lowest pulse oxygen saturation, there is a statistically better rate after toxin injection, 90.7 ± 0.9, than before injection, 89.1 ± 1.8. Discussion: Snoring treatment with botulinum toxin is safe, easy to perform, non-invasive, and reversible.