Four Basic Snoring Surgeries
February7th,2010Before determining whether surgery is appropriate, consider the cause of the snoring, click here to get the real reason why do people snore ? Of course, not everyone who snores has sleep apnea–and not everyone who has untreated sleep apnea snores. Before undergoing surgery for snoring, it is wise to consider if sleep apnea is present. There are four basic snoring surgeries.
Laser-Assisted Uvuloplatoplasty (LAUP)
The laser-assisted uvulo-palatoplasty (LAUP) is one of the older ways of controlling snoring and sleep apnea. It was originally designed as an alternative, lesser invasive way of trimming and stiffening the soft palate as compared with the standard uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) procedure. The LAUP is an in-office procedure performed under local anesthesia using novocaine, which is similar to what you get at the dentist’s office.
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)
UPPP usually involves removing the uvula and pharyngeal arches, partial removal of the soft palate and sometimes the tonsils. This procedure is performed under general anaesthetic. Research indicates that UPPP is often complicated by severe post-operative pain. Additionally there may be some long-term complications such as nasopharyngeal regurgitation, persistent palatal dryness, long-term voice changes and a partial loss of taste.
Radio-Frequency Ablation (Somnoplasty)
Radio-frequency ablation is designed to shrink redundant tissue of the soft palate. The treatment involves heating the inner tissue to 85ºC which results in the tissue beneath the skin being scarred. Somnoplasty is minimally invasive and creates controlled lesions that have little effect on surrounding tissues.
Palatal Stiffening (CAPSO)
CAPSO or electrical cautery, burns the palate causing fibrosis and consequent stiffening of the soft palate. It is also used a means to remove a longitudinal strip of mucosa along the soft palate or uvula. This procedure is performed during a single out-patient visit under local anaesthetic. Because this procedure is less invasive than UPPP or LAUP there are generally fewer complications, however post-operative pain is similar to the other surgical methods.
Before having the snoring surgeries, it is high recommended to try some natural stop snoring tips.