SynthesisSleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung2015
Temperature controlled radiofrequency ablation at different sites for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 31 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparison of upper airway stimulation, tongue base surgeries, and continuous positive airway pressure for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung · 2026Pooled it
- Efficacy of continuous positive airway pressure on TNF-α in obstructive sleep apnea patients: A meta-analysis.PloS one · 2023Pooled it
- Chinese Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment of Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea (2024).World journal of otorhinolaryngology - head and neck surgery · 2026Article
- Dynamics of oropharyngeal structures during respiration with the volume-altered tongue base of minipigs.Journal of applied oral science : revista FOB · 2026Article
- The impact of resident involvement and postgraduate year on head and neck surgery for obstructive sleep apnea.PloS one · 2025Article
- Additive Effect of Multilevel Radiofrequency Ablation in Elderly Patients with Sleep Apnea.Indian journal of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery : official publication of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India · 2025Article
- International Consensus Statement on Obstructive Sleep Apnea.International forum of allergy & rhinology · 2023Review
- Volumetric Changes after Coblation Ablation Tongue (CAT) in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients.Journal of clinical medicine · 2022Article
- MinimallyInvasive Radiofrequency Surgery in Sleep-Disordered Breathing.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2019Review
- Article
- A novel implantable device for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea: clinical safety and feasibility.Nature and science of sleep · 2016Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThis study seeks to determine the efficacy of temperature controlled radiofrequency tissue ablation (TCRFTA) to alleviate symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and reduce polysomnographic measures of OSA in the first year post-treatment.
methodsSystematic review and meta-analysis. Two independent searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE bibliographic databases, and Evidence Based Medicine Reviews to identify publications relevant to OSA and TCRFTA. Effectiveness of TCRFTA was measured separately for application of TCRFTA at the base of tongue and soft palate, and for multilevel intervention using the respiratory disturbance index (RDI), lowest oxygen saturation (LSAT), Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), and bed partner's rating of snoring using a visual analogue scale (VAS snoring). The most recent search was conducted in April 2013. Statistical analysis was performed using Review Manager Version 5.2 using a relative measure of effect, i.e., ratio of means (RoM).
resultsOur initial search resulted in 29 eligible studies, and subsequently, 20 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Substantial and consistent improvement in PSG and subjective outcomes were observed post-TCRFTA in the base of tongue (BOT) and multilevel surgery groups only. Application of TCRFTA at the BOT was associated with a significant reduction in RDI (RoM 0.60, CI 0.47-0.76), ESS (RoM 0.59, CI 0.51-0.67), and VAS snoring (RoM 0.48, CI 0.37-0.62) and increase in lowest oxygen saturation (RoM 1.05, CI 1.01-1.10). Similarly, a significant reduction in RDI (RoM 0.61, CI 0.47-0.80) and ESS (RoM 0.79, CI -0.71 to 0.88) was observed after multilevel TCRFTA, but substantial heterogeneity between these studies was observed.
conclusionTCRFTA is clinically effective in reducing RDI levels and symptoms of sleepiness in patients with OSA syndrome when directed at the base of tongue or as a multilevel procedure.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.