 This procedure addresses one of the most common causes of snoring and sleep apnea — vibration or collapse of the soft palate.It was approved by the FDA for snoring in 2002 and for obstructive sleep apnea in 2004.A 2013 meta-analysis found that "the Pillar implant has a moderate effect on snoring and mild-to-moderate obstructive sleep apnea" and that more studies with high level of evidence were needed to arrive at a definite conclusion; it also found that the polyester strips work their way out of the soft palate in about 10% of the people in whom they are implanted.