Excessive daytime sleepiness and loud snoring are the major symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, often leading to serious medical complications if unrecognized and untreated. Tracheostomy has been the only effective treatment in most adult cases. This paper reports on a new surgical approach to treat obstructive sleep apnea by uvulopalatopharyngoplasty designed to enlarge the potential airspace in the oropharynx. Twelve patients underwent this operation. In nine there was relief of symptoms and in eight there was objective improvement in nocturnal respiration and sleep pattern, demonstrated by polysomnography.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
DementWCarskadonMRichardsonG: Excessive daytime sleepiness in sleep apnea syndrome, in GuilleminaultCDementW, (eds): Sleep Apnea Syndrome. New York, Alan R Liss Inc, 1978, pp 23–46.
2.
LugaresiECoccaganaGCirignottaF: Snoring and its clinical implications, in GuilleminaultCDementW, (eds): Sleep Apnea Syndrome. New York, Alan R Liss Inc, 1978, pp 13–21.
3.
TilkianAGuilleminaultCShroederJ: Sleep-induced apnea syndrome. Am J Med63: 348–358, 1977.
ConwayWBowerGCBarnesME: Hypersomnolence and intermittent upper airway obstruction. J Am Med237: 2740–2742, 1977.
9.
CoccagnaGDiDonatoGVerucchiP: Hypersomnia with periodic apneas in acquired micrognathia. A. Bird-like face syndrome. Arch Neurol33: 769–776, 1976.
10.
ZorickFRothTKramerM: Exacerbation of upper airway sleep apnea by lymphatic lymphoma. Chest77: 689–690, 1980.
11.
SimmonsFB: Tracheostomy in obstructive sleep apnea patients. Laryngoscope80: 1702–1703, 1979.
12.
ConwayWVictorLFujitaS: Long-term experience with tracheostomy for sleep apnea. Am Rev Respir Dis121: 122, 1980.
13.
IkematsuT: Study of snoring. 4th Report. Therapy (in Japanese). J Jap Oto-Rhino-Laryngol64: 434–435, 1964.
14.
RechtschaffenAKalesA: A Manual of Standardized Terminology. Techniques and Scoring System for Sleep Stages of Human Subjects. US Dept of Health, Education and Welfare, Public Health Service, 1968.
15.
FeeWRWardPH: Permanent tracheostomy: A new surgical technique. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol86: 635–638, 1977.
16.
RothTHartseKMZorickF: Multiple naps and evaluation of daytime sleepiness in upper airway sleep apnea patients. J Sleep3: 425–439, 1980.
17.
WeitzmanEDPollakCPBorowieckiB: The hypersomnia-sleep apnea syndrome, site and mechanism of upper airway obstruction, in GuilleminaultCDementW, (eds): Sleep Apnea Syndrome. New York, Alan R Liss Inc, 1978, pp 235–248.
18.
HillNWGuilleminaultCSimmonsFB: Fiber-optic and EMG studies in hypersomnia-sleep apnea syndrome, in GuilleminaultCDementW, (eds): Sleep Apnea Syndrome. New York, Alan R Liss Inc, 1978, pp 249–258.
