Information on Snoring Surgery

Sleep apnea is no laughing matter. It can be terrifying to experience because you can stop breathing for several seconds. This can lead to experiencing a stroke or having your sleep pattern disrupted. Nobody wants their partner or their children to have respiratory problems in their life, that is directly caused by a sleeping disorder. Sometimes the only solution is going under the knife. But what exactly is snoring surgery? Speak with an ENT doctor and they will tell you exactly what it is. They are specialists in this field, and they have been trained to perform safe, effective surgeries that could solve your sleep apnea in one go.

The four treatments:

• A UPPP is when the uvula must be removed. The pharyngeal arches will also be surgically removed, and the tonsils may also need to go. This is a procedure that is done under general anesthetic. This is an operation that not everyone should get, it can cause some severe irritation. However, it can also lead to long term concerns such as having a dry palate and perhaps changes in your voice. It does cure the problem however and you can usually get back to a normal life.
• A LAUP, this can be done under local or general anesthetic. It is seen as safer and more affordable than the UPPP procedure. The free edge of your soft palate is vaporized with a laser. Your uvula will also be lazed away. The LAUP can be done multiple times to get the desired effect so you can scale it to your desire to get a more accurate result.
• CAPSO, is when your palate is stiffened. This is done by electric cautery burns which cause fibrosis. This makes the palate harder and more rigid. This can help it from collapsing and causing it to block the airway or perhaps be swallowed. The irritation is quite noticeable but with therapy and healing methods, we can help you get over that quickly.
• Somnoplasty is when radio frequency ablation is used to shrink the palate. This can help in making the mouth less obtrusive. The procedure only takes 20 minutes and will take place in out-patient surgery. The aim is to give your tongue less of an influence on your breathing which is usually the cause of most sleep apnea issues.

Visit our ENT clinic

If you have trouble sleeping at night because of breathing issues, consider coming to speak to one of our specialists. An ENT doctor is a specialist, they are the only ones qualified enough to give you an expert opinion on not just your condition but the treatment options available to you. We will make you feel safe and make sure that we run you through your chosen procedure, so you know exactly how to prepare and what to expect on the day of surgery. Please don’t hesitate to contact us and find out how we can help you today. We’re experts in this field and we pride ourselves on giving the best advice and treatments.