Is sleep apnea surgery effective?

Sleep apnea: Some surgeries are more effective than others. Te most important part is the diagnosis to see where the problem is. Jaw advancement is shown to have great results. This surgery opens up the posterior airway.

It can be: Especially if you have nasal obstructions or large tonsils or adenoids. Having an open nasal airway is very important to proper breathing. Soft palate surgery is also done, but has more varied effectiveness. Each individual patient needs their own diagnosis.

It can be.: Sleep apnea has two forms...'obstructive' and 'central'. The obstructive type has to do with tissues blocking the airway during sleep. Surgical reduction of these tissues can be beneficial. Don't use surgery as a primary therapy...Try non-surgical approaches first.

Sleep: Usually sleep apnea surgery involves multiple steps or procedures. The efficacy rate is less than 40% and complication rate is high.

Last resort: Whatever type of surgery, I would exhaust all other options first to see if your sleep apnea can be managed. CPAP and mouthpieces are viable options normally, but correcting a deviated septum or surgery in the throat area do help under certain circumstances. Health style changes also help- loss of weight, etc.

Often: Often very effective. Usually reserved for CPAP failures or intolerance. Sleep MD can discuss this in your case.