Does expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty treat oropharyngeal lateral wall-related obstruction in OSA?

Posted by & filed under Palate Surgery, Sleep Apnea, Surgery.

Recently, our international, multicenter study examining drug-induced sleep endoscopy and surgery outcomes in those with obstructive sleep apnea but without markedly enlarged tonsils was published in the medical journal Laryngoscope.  I have written on this blog about the research findings and the implications for sleep surgery and the decisions that sleep apnea surgeons make for their… Read more »

Drug-induced sleep endoscopy findings are associated with results of sleep apnea surgery

Posted by & filed under Palate Surgery, Sleep Apnea, Surgery, Tongue Surgery.

Before performing any surgery, it is important to collect information that can help in making decisions about what type of surgery to have and what the results of surgery might be.  Sleep apnea surgery is no different.  Drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) is an evaluation that can be performed in patients with obstructive sleep apnea who are considering… Read more »

Multilevel surgery for OSA and risks vs. palate surgery alone

Posted by & filed under Palate Surgery, Sleep Apnea, Surgery, Tongue Surgery.

My experience and many research studies indicate that most patients with obstructive sleep apnea have what is often called multilevel obstruction. This term refers to blockage of breathing in both the Palate Region and the Tongue Region. Choosing the right sleep apnea surgery is based on careful evaluation of an individual patient and then weighing the risks and benefits of… Read more »

Sleep 2017: Upper Airway Stimulation 5-year Outcomes and Questioning Whether Sleep Apnea Treatment Improves Health

Posted by & filed under Palate Surgery, Sleep Apnea, Surgery.

May and June are busy months for major medical conferences.  May had the 8th meeting of the International Surgical Sleep Society that we hosted at the University of Southern California, and I recently returned from giving lectures at the Sleep 2017 meeting in Boston.  Later in June, I will be speaking at the International Federation… Read more »

American Sleep Association: Improving Awareness of Snoring and Sleep Apnea Treatment Options

Posted by & filed under Palate Surgery, Sleep Apnea, Snoring, Surgery, Tongue Surgery.

I was recently invited to join the Advisory Board of the American Sleep Association.  Because of their dedication to increasing awareness about the importance of sleep and sleep disorders, I agreed to this position and contributed website content related to surgical treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.  Here are links to those pages: Snoring… Read more »

Positive airway pressure after sleep apnea surgery: Catch-22

Posted by & filed under Palate Surgery, Sleep Apnea, Surgery.

I just returned from giving lectures at the 13th Annual Middle East Update in Otolaryngology conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.  I had never visited Dubai before, and it was wonderful to share experiences with colleagues from throughout the Middle East and beyond while having the additional bonus of seeing a new part of the world.  Beyond the conference, it… Read more »

Our snoring and sleep apnea course: Day 2 highlights

Posted by & filed under Palate Surgery, Sleep Apnea, Snoring, Surgery, Tongue Surgery.

Our snoring and sleep apnea course continued today with talks on a wide range of sleep apnea treatment, especially weight loss and surgical evaluation and treatment. Allan Pack, MBChB, PhD from the University of Pennsylvania started the day, speaking on key papers from the past year in the field of sleep medicine.  The prevailing wisdom… Read more »

3-Year Outcomes for Inspire Medical Upper Airway Stimulation

Posted by & filed under Palate Surgery, Sleep Apnea, Surgery, Tongue Surgery.

Excellent outcomes at 3 years after implantation of the Inspire Medical Upper Airway Stimulation system were reported in the January 2016 issue of the medical journal Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.  Many types of sleep apnea surgery have solid research evidence demonstrating multiple benefits, from improvements in health and sleep quality (treating sleepiness and quality of life) to… Read more »

Sleep apnea surgery experts at next ISSS meeting

Posted by & filed under Palate Surgery, Sleep Apnea, Snoring, Surgery, Tongue Surgery.

The International Surgical Sleep Society is the world’s major organization dedicated to snoring and sleep apnea surgery.  I am honored to be the current President of the ISSS and am excited with new developments that we have recently announced. Next ISSS Meeting: Sao Paulo, Brazil in April 2016 The ISSS has focused their efforts on… Read more »

Sleep Apnea Surgery Research Updates from 2015 AAO-HNS Annual Meeting

Posted by & filed under Palate Surgery, Sleep Apnea, Surgery, Tongue Surgery.

The 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery was just held in Dallas from September 27-30.  Although I typically give several talks related to sleep apnea surgery, whether focused on drug-induced sleep endoscopy or sleep apnea procedures related to the Palate Region or Tongue Region, one of the most enjoyable and interesting parts… Read more »