UPPP Snoring Surgery
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, or UPPP, is the oldest and most invasive surgical treatment for snoring. It was first performed in 1982 by a Japanese surgeon named S. Fujita.
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) snoring surgery is a procedure that removes excess tissue in the throat to make the airway wider. This sometimes can allow air to move through the throat more easily when you breathe, reducing the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The tissues that are removed may include: tonsils, part of the soft palate, and the uvula.
UPPP requires general anesthesia, one to two nights of inpatient care in a hospital, and a minimum of two weeks of recovery afterward.
Drawbacks of UPPP Snoring Surgery
- high cost
- lengthy recovery period
- It is not effective in treating snoring caused by obstructions at the base of the tongue.
- High relapse rate, between 50% and 70% of patients who have been treated with UPPP report that short-term improvements in snoring do not last longer than a year.
- It can result in major complications, including severe bleeding due to removal of the tonsils as well as airway obstruction and speech problems (The surgery may result in a nasal quality to the voice).