I'm suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, what are the available surgical solutions?

Think Non surgical!: As a physician who has osa (obstructive sleep apnea), I have heard form local specialists that surgery is not recommended. Weight loss is, but does not adequately resolve the need to use cpap. Training in using the digeridoo (australian wind instrument) helps according to reports. Osa is a serious condition that is best addressed quickly, as with delay, the reversible benefits are lessened.

Oropharyngeal: The most common procedure is one in which the soft tissues of the palate are partially removed. An ear, nose and throat surgeon "trims" the uvula that hangs from the top of the palate and some of the surrounding tissues. Tonsils and adenoids are typically removed as well. Recovery is somewhat painful, but for many the one-time recovery is a good alternative to CPAP machines.

Surgery is an option: I counsel all my patients that CPAP is the first option. If patients don't tolerate (high pressures, claustrophobia, etc) then you should seek a surgical opinion. I also talk to all my patients about weight loss. Mandibular advancement devices are also an option. If you are not tolerating CPAP you do need to be treated: entassociatesofnorthgeorgia.Com.

Multiple: Surgery is a good option for CPAP intolerance. It is reconstructive and should be tailored to your specific anatomy. Sleep endoscopy is advised prior. Upper pharyngeal surgery includes lateral pharyngoplasty and palatal advancement and preferably uvula-sparing uppp. Lower surgery includes tongue surgery or glossectomy, genioglossus advancement, hyoid suspension and jaw advancement. Find an expert.

Numerous: CPAP and weight loss are usually the first solutions recommended. However, anatomic abnormalities with the airways (such as a small or a "floppy" upper airway) are temporized by these treatments and not corrected. In this group of patients, jaw surgery can be curative or, at the very least, severely reduce the symptoms of osa. Consultation with an expert in osa is recommended.

Many: I usually break the airway down into thirds when i evaluate a patient with osa. If indicated, surgical correction/reconstruction is as follows: 1) nose: septoplasty and turbinate reduction 2) oral: uppp (sparing uvula) - if the surgeon doesn't discuss saving the uvula - see someone else; tonsillectomy 3) hypopharynx: midline glossectomy; hyoid suspension. Mandibular advancement is also an option.

Maybe wt loss: The majority of patients with osa are obese. If you are, wt loss will frequently improve or cure the disease. This is one of the areas where bariatric (wt loss) surgery is helpful. Some patients both obese and not will require surgery on the palate and throat, but since the majority of patients are obese, the first surgical option should many times be wt loss surgery.

MMA: Maxillomandibular advancement (orthognathic surgery) has the greatest documented success rate out of any surgical procedures available (besides a tracheostomy). Maxillomandibular advancement has a documented success rate of 95 %. It addresses all possible levels of obstruction with minimal discomfort and down time. More importantly, no possibility of relapse as with most other procedures.

SURGERY LAST RESORT: All none evasive treatment option must be explored before any surgery should be performed to treat sleep apnea. Cpap, or better yet, oral appliances, ate the best treatments to consider. If there is tissue interference in your throat area (large tonsil or uvula, phyringeal walls, etc) then surgery may be needed but it may not stop the apnea. Consult with a dentist as well as the surgeon to get the best results.

Surgery last option: Uppp cures osas only 40% of the time so is not recommended as isolated procedure. If the tonsils are massive and tongue is small then uppp/t and a can cure in 80% if bmi<40. Small tonsils and large tongue is much less likely to improve with surgery. Usually osas surgery reserved for CPAP or mandibular advancement device failures. If u don't have osas and only snore then uppp helps snore in >80%.