Oral Surgery Can Reduce CPAP Needs In Patients With Sleep Apnea

A procedure known as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) can help some patients to improve or even eliminate their obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a new study. The research at CHEST 2007, the 73rd Annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), says the procedure, which removes excess tissue in the throat or mouth to the respiratory tract, the amount of treatment needed by patients with OSA. In addition, researchers say UPPP can also completely eliminate OSA in some patients.



"continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, is a well-established treatment for sleep apnea," said lead study author Akram Khan, MD, Assistant Professor at the University of Florida Jacksonville " and while most patients tolerate it well, some are not in a position to Tolerate or not, and patients should be alternative ways of treatment. "



To determine whether UPPP the improvement in sleep quality parameters, Dr. Khan and his colleagues from the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, evaluated the success of the procedure in 63 patients aged between 18 and 80, with OSA, over a period of 7 years. All patients were treated with UPPP polysomnographischen and were in a period of 6 months before and after the procedure.



The results showed that OSA UPPP removed in about a quarter and a third of patients, depending on the definition of success. Those who experienced residual value OSA CPAP and again, the setting was necessary CPAP moderately lower. In addition, the researchers reported that UPPP also reduces the mean apnea-hyponea index in patients.



"The apnea-hyponea index basically tells us the number of times a patient with sleep apnea stops breathing per hour," says Dr. Khan. "We have noticed that the surgical procedure reduces patient apenic (nonbreathing) episodes by more than half." According to Dr. Khan, UPPP, an improvement of oxygen, and other parameters of sleep, as well as.



In the 1981 first described UPPP was widely used with different results. Although researchers are not clear what characteristics make the ideal candidate UPPP, they suggest that patients with mild OSA, the still relatively young, slim and healthy, have the best results with this procedure. Researchers also believe that a decrease in the CPAP requirements would likely improve compliance in patients who do not have their OSA fully resolved.



"Obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk for other diseases, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, among other things," said Alvin V. Thomas, Jr., MD, FCCP, President of American College of Chest Physicians. "Patients and doctors must work together to recognize the signs of sleep apnea and to determine what kind of treatment is best suited."



----------------------------< Br> Article adapted from Medical News Today from the original press release. ,
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CHEST 2007 is the 73rd Annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians, between 20 and 25 October in the Chicago, IL. ACCP represents 17,000 members, the patient care in the areas of pulmonary and critical care medicine and sleep in the United States and throughout the world. The ACCP's mission is to promote the prevention and treatment of diseases of the chest through leadership, education, research and communication. For more information about the ACCP, please visit the website at ACCP http://www.chestnet.org/



Source: Deana Busche




American College of Chest Physicians