Snoring & Sleep Apnea Surgery

What Is Snoring?

Snoring is the vibration sound produced by the soft tissues of the throat as air passes through a narrowed upper airway during sleep. It can be a simple nuisance, or a sign of a more serious condition such as sleep apnea.

Is Snoring a Health Problem?

Simple snoring by itself is not necessarily dangerous, but it should be evaluated together with accompanying symptoms such as breathing pauses, choking sensations and excessive daytime sleepiness, since it may signal sleep apnea.

What Are Apnea and Hypopnea?

"Apnea" is a complete pause in breathing lasting more than ten seconds during sleep; "hypopnea" is a partial reduction in airflow together with a drop in oxygen level. Normal blood oxygen saturation is generally above 90–95%; sleep apnea patients can experience significant drops below this range.

Surgical Options

Historically, UPPP (uvulopalatopharyngoplasty) was the standard surgical technique, but it has largely been replaced by more modern, less invasive approaches:

• Expansion Pharyngoplasty: Widens the airway by repositioning the throat muscles rather than removing tissue.
• Anterior Palatoplasty: Tightens and reshapes the soft palate to reduce vibration.
• Transpalatal Advancement: Advances the hard palate to enlarge the retropalatal airway.

Is It Necessary to Remove the Uvula?

No. With current surgical techniques, the uvula is reshaped rather than cut out. Since the uvula contributes to swallowing function and speech resonance, we make every effort to preserve it.

Tongue Surgeries

In patients where the tongue base contributes to the obstruction, radiofrequency (plasma) or robotic-assisted surgery can be used to reduce tongue-base volume and widen the airway.

Jaw Surgery

In carefully selected patients, maxillomandibular advancement surgery can achieve success rates of approximately 90% by moving the jaw structure forward.

Recovery After Surgery

Post-operative healing varies by procedure; most patients can return to normal daily activities within one to two weeks, with full recovery over several weeks.

Sleep Apnea Treatment in Children

Adenotonsillectomy (removal of adenoids and tonsils) is the most common surgical technique used in children. If snoring persists after surgery, allergy is the most common cause — this should be investigated and treated in follow-up.