Abstract: A method for treating sleep-disordered breathing syndromes, for example, snoring in a mammal. The method involves applying energy, for example, energy from laser light, to a preselected region of soft palate tissue in the mammal in an amount and duration sufficient to induce thermal injury to subepithelial tissue in the preselected region of soft palate tissue while minimizing thermal injury to epithelial tissue in the preselected region of soft palate tissue. Thermal injury of the subepithelial tissue results in stiffening of the preselected region of soft palate tissue thereby ameliorating the symptoms of the sleep-disordered breathing syndrome.

Abstract: A method is provided for facilitating the atrophying of a tonsil or adenoid ("organ") to cause the gradual removal thereof from the patient. A laser is positioned adjacent the organ, the wavelength for the laser being in the 700 nm to 1100 nm range and having energy sufficient to cause coagulation of blood in at least a significant number of the organ vessels over a period of several minutes, but not so much energy as to kill significant tissue of the organ or to cause significant damage to tissue adjacent to the organ. The laser is then turned on to irradiate the organ with laser energy and the entire exposed area of the organ is painted or otherwise irradiated. Irradiation continues until a selected condition of the organ, tissue adjacent the organ and/or laser source occurs.