High hopes for Snorekil in preventing long term ailments

WALES A new device called Snorekil has been undergoing a trial in hospitals, hoping to treat the millions of patients suffering from snoring, according to published reports.

Snoring, a problem that ails about 18 million people in the UK and 80 million people in the U.S., is often a symptom of sleep apnea, in which a person will stop breathing for periods of time while he or she is sleeping.

According to published reports, snoring—and apnea—has been linked to high blood pressure and heart attacks, as well as diabetes. The new device, invented by Paul Cattell, of Rhos-on-Sea, if deemed effective, will save the National Health Service millions of pounds in the treatments of heart related problems or other ailments.

Snorekil has already been piloted in Canada, Singapore and Thailand and is most recently being piloted in Wales, with the help of Catell’s wife, Marie, in manufacturing the new product. According to published reports they also have distributors in Switzerland and France, and are setting their sights on the Chinese market as well.

The gadget’s function is to fit inside the mouth and push the lower jaw forward, which then allows the airway to be cleared. At first their device cost 200 to 400 pounds, including a personal fitting, but after years of experimentation, Cattell has made the product adjustable and priced at just 50 pounds. The couple is hoping to get an approval by the Food and Drug Administration, relying on their award of Class One Medical Device status in Canada to help them do so.