Sleep apnea surgery has been the focus of my entire career, now spanning over 20 years since completing all my training. Given that I have entered what I would consider the middle stage of a sleep apnea surgery career, I am increasingly being asked to give talks reflecting on the journey that has occurred in… Read more »
Snoring
31st Annual Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Apnea and Snoring Highlights
It is time again for a post about highlights from our annual sleep apnea and snoring course. This year, we had over 200 in attendance, and I learned so much from colleagues. I always focus on nonsurgical topics because this course uniquely combines surgical and nonsurgical content, with the nonsurgical talks often including information that…
What is unique about UCLA Sleep Surgery?
My move to UCLA was based on the opportunity to work with a larger team of sleep medicine providers and researchers, including other surgeons who focused in this area: Ashley Kita, MD and Travis Shiba, MD. We have just posted some videos on our UCLA Sleep Surgery website page explaining what we do as surgeons…
30th Annual Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Apnea and Snoring Highlights
I am writing from our 30th annual Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Apnea and Snoring course in Orlando, Florida. I have been fortunate to take part in this course for the past 20 years but take no credit for the course format that combines medical, surgical, and dental topics. This multidisciplinary approach is…
Telemedicine for preoperative visits?
As a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, I receive electronic access to the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. I browse the Table of Contents but generally find that most of the articles are related to general surgery or subspecialties within that field (which used to be true for head and neck…
2023 Advances in Sleep Apnea and Snoring Course Highlights
I am writing from our 28th Annual Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Apnea and Snoring course in Orlando, Florida. This is our first in-person course since 2019, and it was wonderful to be together. I do think more and more educational events will be offered virtually, as it increases access for people who… Read more »
Race/ethnicity and sex representation in sleep surgery research studies
It is known that biomedical research studies include a disproportionate share of non-Hispanic White, middle-aged men. I am no expert, but it is obvious to me that research is most valuable when it reflects the diversity of our patient population and, indeed, our country. On this day that honors Jackie Robinson and his legacy in… Read more »
Sleep and Inflammation
My entire career has focused on sleep disorders, especially obstructive sleep apnea and snoring, and I enjoy spreading science-based information about sleep to the public. I am fortunate to receive inquiries from members of the media and appreciate the opportunity to help in any way I can. Kathryn Drury Wagner contacted me for an article… Read more »
Advances in Sleep Apnea and Snoring 2022 Course Highlights
We have just completed the 27th Annual Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Apnea and Snoring course in San Francisco, California. It has been wonderful to be a co-director for about 15 years, and I learn so much myself in every course. This year we did something different: a virtual format! We can thank… Read more »
Telemedicine, telehealth, and video consults in sleep apnea and snoring surgery
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 »