For sleep apnea surgery, the main goal is to remove excess tissues from the nose or throat, which is the main culprit of snoring. Some of these tissues could be blocking your upper air passages.

Before considering sleep apnea surgery, it is important to get professional advice from your doctor. According to experts, there are 18 million Americans suffering from sleep apnea in varying degrees, from mild to severe. However, there are very few cases where sleep apnea surgery is the only viable option.

Your doctor will determine whether you have sleep apnea by running a sleep test (polysomnography) at a sleep center. It is painless and commonly covered by insurance.

Sleep apnea has various types of treatments depending on severity of the condition. Mild sleep apnea can be cured simply by changing ones’ lifestyle. Conversely, severe cases require sleep apnea surgery as it is a progressive condition. It should not be taken lightly because it gets worse with age.

Below are some of the available sleep apnea surgery procedures. Amongst them are:-

• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)
  This is the most common sleep apnea surgery to treat snoring and sleep apnea. In this procedure, tissue from the side of the mouth and at the top of the throat is removed. Tonsils and adenoids will also be removed. This surgery is recommended for stopping throat tissues from vibrating, which causes snoring. However, the results would not be as successful in treating sleep apnea as tissue farther down the throat would still be blocking the air passage.
  
  UPPP requires general anesthetic and is performed in hospitals. In the aftermath procedure, patients may have sore throat for several days and are advised to stay off solid foods. Other forms of treatment may still be needed after sleep apnea surgery.
  
  Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP)
  LAUP sleep apnea surgery uses laser technology to remove part of the soft palate in the throat. It is also used to shorten the piece of tissue hanging from the uvula. It will eliminate the excess tissue that blocks the airways and causes snoring. LAUP surgical treatment can be done at the hospital.


• Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)
  RFA is also another office procedure which utilizes radio frequency energy to remove tissue from uvula, soft palate and tongue. This helps to decrease snoring and the risk of sleep apnea. This sleep apnea surgery uses RFA energy to transport electrodes at the end of a surgical apparatus, which heats and destroys some of the blocking tissue in the mouth and throat.

LAUP and RFA sleep apnea surgery are less painful and less invasive compared to UPPP. However, it is only recommended to people who have mild obstructive sleep apnea.

• Tracheostomy
  Tracheostomy is necessary when other treatments have not been successful and patients have a potentially life-threatening sleep apnea. The procedure involves making an opening in your neck to insert a metal tube, through which you breathe. The opening is covered during daytime, but uncovered at night to enable air to pass through your lungs-in and out. Doctors seldom recommend this option of sleep apnea surgery as it may cause other health complications. However, most people who opt for tracheostomy have a high chance of being cured from sleep apnea.


• Tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy
  This is an option when enlarged tonsils and adenoids are blocking the airways during sleep. It is also a viable option for children who have sleep apnea. This sleep apnea surgery involves removing of the tonsils and/or the adenoids.

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