That prompted the Beverly Hills man to action. And as timing would have it, he moved into the forefront of a new nonsurgical treatment for snoring called somnoplasty, just approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration. His fast action made him the first in Metro Detroit to receive the treatment.
Sleep apnea is linked to memory loss, high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes.
For August, a real estate developer, the disorder, which was ruled not a serious one by doctors, came up quickly, starting about a year ago. His son's complaints propelled him to find solutions. He found Dr. Arthur Rosner, an otolaryngologist in Sterling Heights believed to be the only Metro Detroit doctor who performs somnoplasty. Rosner specializes in sleep-related surgery and ear, nose and throat ailments. Somnoplasty uses the energy from radio frequency through an electrode to reduce and tighten excess soft tissue from the palate and retract the uvula that blocks the upper airway and causes snoring, Rosner said.