Ultimately, we believe that the outcome of any consultation, surgical, or non-surgical procedure should be to enhance our patients’ physical and emotional quality of life. We spend adequate time advising our patients of their options in order to create an individualized plan. Integrity and compassion are the center of our practice.
2. What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder involving
pharyngeal airway collapse during sleep. Patients with the
disorder stop breathing as their throat tissues collapse and
obstruct their air passages.
After such an obstructive spell, their throat muscle tone
improves and their breathing begins again. They also maintain
a lighter stage of sleep after the spell, making them easier to
awaken.
Often associated with snoring, obstructive spells may last
from thirty seconds to two minutes at one time. The cycle also
repeats hundreds of times during a typical sleep period of
eight hours.
Over the last decade, there have been many improvements in
the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. These
improvements have resulted in the increased success rate of
common obstructive sleep apnea treatments, like
uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.
3. What is Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty?
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty(UPPP) is the most common
surgery performed in adults with obstructive sleep apnea in
the United States. It involves removing tissue in the throat,
such as the uvula, soft palate, tonsils, adenoids, and pharynx
to increase the oropharyngeal airspace.
The surgery is successful in improving obstructive sleep apnea
up to 75 percent of the time, with the snoring improving
invariably in the course of the treatment. The success rate of
treating the snoring is up to 95 percent.
Not every patient who snores, however, is a potential
candidate for the surgery, as the condition can be due to
different mechanisms. For instance, patients who snore only
when they are on their back and generally experience
relaxation of the tongue are not candidates for the surgery.
The surgery lasts about an hour and requires general
anesthetic when treating snoring. When it comes to
obstructive sleep apnea, however, it requires an extensive
study to diagnose the extensiveness of the condition.
4. After the surgery, patients may stay in the hospital for up to
three stays, and may experience sore throat for up to a week
and a half. During this period, they are unable to swallow
liquids initially due to the pain.
Similar to any surgery, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty has
possible complications, which may include the possibility that
it may not work. With that said, patients who want to
undergo the surgery should contact an ENT specialist who
may conduct careful preoperative examinations and
investigations.
