Readers of this blockage will know that I have written often about drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) as an important evaluation for patients with obstructive sleep apnea who cannot tolerate CPAP well. One of the unique benefits of DISE is the assessment of whether the epiglottis might be a cause of obstructive sleep apnea, in that… Read more »

Periodically, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requests reviews of technologies used in medical care in the United States. CMS requested an updated review of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) through AHRQ’s Evidence-based Practice Centers program…. Read more »

Because of my career-long focus and unique experience in the combination of sleep surgery and sleep medicine, patients from around the country or other countries often reach out for an evaluation or for surgery. Because of the logistical challenges and costs of in-person visits, I have offered video consults for many years. These remote evaluations… Read more »

One of the wonderful things about moving home to Los Angeles and joining the team at the University of Southern California is my family’s connection to the University that dates back over 100 years. My mother is a USC graduate (undergraduate and graduate school), and she has been an active supporter of USC as an… Read more »

Keck Medicine of USC has started a monthly Ask an Expert Webinar Series of presentations from our faculty about the evaluation and treatment of common problems of the head and neck. I was part of the first set of presentations when I spoke this past week on snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. For a basic… Read more »

A recurring theme of this blog and the sleep-doctor.com website is that successful surgery for obstructive sleep apnea and snoring depends on understanding the causes that differ from one patient to another. As otolaryngologists, we use flexible fiberoptic telescopes (like the one shown below) to look inside the breathing passages to see where they are open… Read more »

This month, the 2020 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery was entirely virtual, continuing the pattern followed by other medical conferences and courses. I have written previously about our expanded use of telemedicine and the development of new online educational programs, but this is an existing major medical… Read more »

I was recently included in a series of lectures developed for the International Surgical Sleep Society. My topic: Oral Myofunctional Therapy and Frenuloplasty Are Not Currently Appropriate Treatment Options for Adults with Obstructive Sleep Apnea. I have posted this presentation on oral myofunctional therapy and frenuloplasty on YouTube; it is somewhat long but explains why… Read more »

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has brought unprecedented changes worldwide, with major, important consequences. I do not want to minimize these in any way. In fact, the pandemic was a reminder that obstructive sleep apnea does not have the same urgency as some other medical conditions, leading to a period of time where I was not taking… Read more »

Evidence-based medicine requires use of the best research studies in taking care of patients. Systematic reviews are designed to combine multiple research studies to produce answers to important questions and therefore can be important to the practice of evidence-based medicine. Everyone loves systematic reviews, starting with physicians who need answers and may not have the… Read more »