When to Consider Tongue Region Surgery
Tongue region surgery for sleep apnea may be considered to treat tongue region obstruction. Airway obstruction in the tongue region is common, affecting approximately 60% of patients with sleep apnea and many with snoring. The muscles that surround the throat are active during sleep and keep this region open for breathing. Tongue region obstruction occurs because these muscles relax during sleep, allowing the tongue and other structures like the sides of the throat and epiglottis to collapse and block breathing in some patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
Dr. Kezirian’s research has shown that careful patient evaluation, including with drug-induced sleep endoscopy, can identify patients with tongue region obstruction. More importantly, the evaluation can help determine who is more or less likely to benefit from tongue region procedures. Understanding tongue region obstruction can help develop a targeted approach to sleep apnea surgery and other available options.
How Dr. Kezirian Can Help
As a specialist in the surgical treatment of snoring and sleep apnea, Dr. Kezirian gives lectures and trains other surgeons from the United States and around the world. He brings experience with a full spectrum of treatment options, from minimally-invasive approaches like tongue radiofrequency to other procedures performed in the operating room. Tongue region procedures can be performed on their own or in combination with other procedures.
Tongue region procedures improve outcomes in patients with tongue region obstruction, but they are relatively new, technically more difficult, and associated with a higher risk of complications. Dr. Kezirian’s research has shown that these procedures are not performed by many surgeons, especially if they were not trained in these techniques. He has described this research in more detail on a blog entry.
The following video presents a discussion of Tongue Region procedures:
To learn more about specific tongue region procedures, please continue to:
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