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| Radiofrequency |
| Nasal Surgery |
| Uvulopalatal Flap |
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Genioglossus Advancement |
| Hyoid Advancement |
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Maxillomandibular Advancement |
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Maxillomandibular Expansion |
| Pre-Op Instructions |
| Post-Op Instructions |
SLEEP APNEA SURGERYUvulopalatopharyngoplasty:Soft palate redundancy is a frequent cause of airway obstruction in OSA. The most common procedure to treat the soft palate is uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). UPPP is a procedure in which tissue from the soft palate and/or back of the throat is removed. Removal of this tissue aims to increase airway size. However, there are potential significant complications associated with UPPP such as foreign body sensation (the feeling that something is in the back of the throat during swallowing) and velopharyngeal insufficiency (liquids or food escape into the nose while drinking or eating).
Uvulopalatal Flap: Uvulopalatal flap (UPF) treatment is a less invasive procedure that also achieves improvement of the airway. In this procedure, a very small amount of tissue is removed. Airway improvement results from tissue rearrangement by lifting the soft palate and widening the airway. If the tonsils are still present, tonsillectomy is always performed with the uvulopalatal flap. The duration of this procedure is approximately 40 minutes and is performed under general anesthesia. Since much less tissues are removed in uvulopalatal flap, it is associated with less pain and complications than UPPP. However, postoperative pain can still be significant, especially when combined with tonsillectomy. Bleeding represents another potential complication. However, this is quite uncommon. In general, patients can usually return to work in 10-14 days. Overnight hospitalization is usually recommended after the uvulopalatal flap procedure. This procedure is often performed in conjunction with nasal surgery, genioglossus advancement or radiofrequency reduction of the tongue in order to maximize the extent of airway improvement.
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