Sleep Apnea is a serious condition that has reached new levels of understanding and prevalence in the medical community, and many treatments are now in place to treat the condition. Positive airway pressure therapy is the first line of treatment for moderate to severe sleep apnea, but only about half of all sleep apnea patients use this therapy the way they should.

It can be hard for some patients to deal with the pressure of the tight PAP mask as they sleep, and it can also be difficult to withstand the high amount of air pressure being blown into the nose throughout the night. If this treatment proves to be too unbearable for a patient to comply with, the next option in line can be surgery, which has a high success rate for sleep apnea sufferers. There are many things you should know about sleep apnea surgery before you go through with it, however.

Surgery Should Be Specific

The site of obstruction that causes the sleep apnea can vary from patient to patient. Some sleep apnea sufferers experience the obstruction in the nose, the tongue, or the throat. The obstruction may be present anywhere throughout the upper respiratory tract, and if the correction isn’t administered to the correct area, the surgery may not relieve the problem.

Nasal Surgery Is a Good Start

Nasal obstruction, whether it be during the day or exclusively at night, can present problems that result in sleep apnea. Nasal obstruction correction can and will play an important part in the treatment of sleep apnea. Three areas of the nose that may be involved in the obstruction include the septum, turbinates, and/or the nasal valve. By straightening the septum and reducing the size of the turbinates, the obstruction may be alleviated to the point of completely relieving the apnea by creating more space in the nose, allowing air to flow freely and smoothly. Fortunately, this is a highly tolerable outpatient surgery.

UPPP Is a Comprehensive Help

In the past 25 years, the most common sleep apnea surgical procedure is uvulopalatopharyngoplasty or UPPP for short. A UPPP involves the removal of tissue from the soft palate and pharynx, and possibly the removal of the tonsils as well. Sutures are placed to keep the area open and to prevent collapse. The oropharynx, located in the upper area, is a highly common site of obstruction that results in sleep apnea complications. This is an inpatient procedure with an overnight hospital stay and a week’s worth of painful recovery but can alleviate sleep apnea quite effectively and reduces snoring significantly.

The Minimally Invasive Pillar Procedure

In mild cases of sleep apnea where snoring is an issue of great concern, soft palate implants, or the pillar procedure, can be a great relief. Three polyester rods are installed into the soft palate, and initiate inflammation that slightly stiffens the palate. This prevents the palate from making contact with the back wall of the pharynx as the muscles relax during sleep, greatly reducing apnea and snoring. Light anesthesia is used and the patient may even stay awake during the procedure.

Hyoid Advancement is Painless

The muscles of the back of the tongue and the pharynx meet at a small bone in the neck. Many who suffer from sleep apnea have a tongue base that is larger than normal. When we sleep, our tongue muscles relax, and an enlarged tongue base may obstruct the airways. The hyoid bone can be surgically repositioned with a suture that suspends it to the front of the jaw bone, expanding the airway and preventing airway collapse. The procedure takes less than one hour and the patient can go home right away with minimal pain and great success.

Jaw Obstruction Can Be A Complicated Fix

Some people who suffer from sleep apnea have abnormalities in their facial bones that result in airway narrowing obstructions that can cause sleep apnea. It is widely recognized that many of those who suffer from sleep apnea have smaller, more narrow jawbones that can result in airway obstruction. Maxillomandibular advancement involves an expansion of the skeletal framework that surrounds the airway. The upper and lower jawbones are moved so that the airway is expanded. The bones are stabilized with titanium plates. The surgery can be highly precise, with careful bone cuts required. A hospital stay of several nights may be necessary, along with the mouth being secured shut for a time.

Abnormal Trachea Issues

In situations where other surgical attempts have failed, or if the patient suffers from morbid obesity and obesity hypoventilation syndrome, a tracheostomy may be necessary. A bypass is created between the trachea and the lungs, with the goal of completely bypassing any obstruction. It is necessary only for very sick patients and can be a last-ditch effort.

Be Informed

Whatever surgical treatment is discussed and decided upon for your sleep apnea, be sure that your doctor has been thorough in their assessment of the problem and are knowledgeable enough to make the right decision for you. You want your sleep apnea cured, and any obstruction alleviated so that you can finally be free of this terrible condition and get a good night’s rest.