Sleep Apnea Surgery Success Rate – Some Considerations

One of the frequent asked question for sleep apnea sufferers would be: should i take sleep apnea surgery? If sleep apnea is seriously causing a huge problem for you and  your family members, and  you have tried all the other alternatives that didn’t work, then perhaps you can take it further with sleep apnea surgery. However, do remember that this is a big decision that you might want to thoroughly consider. You should understand that such surgical procedure might not be always 100% successful, and it might comes with side effects.

Currently there are a few types of sleep apnea surgery that would aid to remove sleep apnea, including the most popular UPPP (uvulopalatopharyngoplasty). This is a kind of operation with the main purpose to widen your airway and cure your sleep apnea symptoms. The disadvantages of this surgery would be the high cost, and you would need a second surgery if the blockage returns. UPPP sleep apnea surgery might also cause potential blood hemorrhage, post surgical infection, and swallowing issues. Speech functions would be affected as well if it is serious.

Another sleep apnea surgery – LAUP (Laser Assisted Uvuloplasty) functions to remove the blockage tissue as well as uvula to clear the blockage of your airway. This surgical procedure do not remove tonsils. One good thing about LAUP is it has quite a high success rate. However, do prepare to accept some minor voice quality changes, as well as some other side effects such as mouth dryness and periodic ear pain.

Or perhaps you can consider CAPSO (Cautery Assisted Palatal Stiffening Operation). This sleep apnea surgery works to burn the palate to make it harden so that it would be easily vibrated. Should you try this ? Probably not. This methods is currently still under experimental stage and not clinically proven to be effective. 

The success rate is also not high.

Tracheotomy, another sleep apnea surgery, would cause you quite some pain by making an opening in your trachea to clear the air blockage. There are also several cons associated with this methods, including leaving a scar behind your neck area, as well as constant follow-up surgery required if needed.

In short, you should always try other alternative to treat your sleep apnea before turning to your last resort of sleep apnea surgery. It is always better to try the non-invasive sleep apnea treatment options first to treat your sleep apnea symptoms before investing too much money and risking your health for such surgery. While one might be benefited by such surgery, other might not. Is a life changing decision that need serious consideration.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms and Causes

Sleep apnea symptoms are often hard to detect since the symptoms occur in the night time for the most part and can be rationalized away by the patients. However, this disorder can be dangerous because what is happening in the people’s sleep is that they stop breathing off and on throughout the night. That means that the brain and other organs of the body are being deprived of oxygen for periods of time which is not healthy for the individuals.

Also, the individuals are not getting solid nights of sleep each night, so that the body is not able to do the repairs needed to function in a healthy manner each day. In addition, the person often ends up feeling irritable and drowsy during the day, even though he often feels as if he has gotten a full night of sleep. There are also often headaches that the patients have to deal with each morning from the oxygen deprivation of the night before.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms -The Reasons behind the Disorder

There are three different types of sleep apnea symptoms and each has a different cause. The causes behind obstructive sleep apnea are related to the muscle tissues that are in the throat. When the patients are asleep, the tongue and the muscles in the throat relax and either partially or fully blocks the pathway of the air.

When this happens, the patients are awakened briefly so that they can start to breathe again, although they may not even remember awakening in the night. This can happen up to thirty times in one hour, thus disrupting the sleep patterns for that individual. An obstructive sleep apnea clinic is the place to have the issue identified and get the best treatment.

People who are overweight often have trouble with these types of sleep apnea symptoms, as their weight contributes to the sleep apnea cause during the night. People who smoke are also adding to the causes of their sleep apnea since it affects the tissues in the throat and mouth.

In central sleep apnea symptoms, there are other causes that contribute to the disorder. In these cases, the people’s brains do not transmit the signals that the muscles need to breathe during the night. The causes behind this type of sleep apnea are usually because of some form of heart disease or in some cases that the person has had a stroke. The good thing about this type of sleep apnea is that people are more likely to recognize that there is a problem because they are more likely to wake up fully and remember that it is happening in the morning.

If you suspect that you have sleep apnea, there is a sleep apnea test that will determine what type of sleep apnea you have to determine the right treatment options.

Natural Cures for Sleep Apnea

                  Can Sleep Apnea be Cured?

Many of you might be looking for sleep apnea cures to overcome this sleep disorder, which occurs because of disturbance in breathing while you are asleep. Breathing may be disturbed because of pauses, which may last for few seconds to several minutes. As the overall health of your body depends upon the quality of your sleep, so the sleep apnea affects your sleep and overall health both. Many adults and kids are suffering from sleep apnea today. Because of increasing number of patients, many methods have been devised to treat sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is usually hard to diagnose; however there are several sleep apnea cures:

• Natural ways to cure sleep apnea
• Sleep apnea machines to cure sleep apnea
• Surgeries for sleep apnea.

Natural ways to cure sleep apnea:

Although latest techniques have been devised, yet the best way to cure sleep apnea is to cure it naturally. Natural ways are best because of no side effects and less money investment. There are various herbal supplements to cure sleep apnea naturally.  Most common herbal supplement is opium. Other commonly used effective natural supplements are Sambucus, Spongia andSulphur. Other things that you may do for curing this ailment are changing your life style. You may also get rid of this ailment by reducing your weight and quitting smoking. Researches show that quitting the use of alcohol is also a remedy for sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea machines:

Another way to cure sleep apnea is the use of CPAP machines, which are continuous positive airway pressure devices. It is a typical therapy for sleep apnea. CPAP machine is a mask which puts pressure on your face and delivers the air slowly in to your airway. Sleep apnea CPAP machines are installed in home. The technician, who installs the machine, adjusts the pressure according the doctor’s prescription.

Sleep apnea surgery:

A latest technique for sleep apnea treatment is sleep apnea surgery. There are various types of sleep apnea surgeries, depending upon the causes of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea surgery is carried out to broaden the patient’s airway. Sleep apnea surgeries are usually carried out for adults, but sometime for children as well.

Although all sleep apnea cures are effective, yet you must consult your physician before choosing a particular treatment. A medical professional can guide you better according to the causes of your ailment, which may be different for different people.

Sleep Apnea Suregey - Oral Appliance

Apnea means "no breathing" in the Greek language, the language of the great hero Achilles as well as many ancient physicians and scholars. Like its name suggests, sleep apnea means the ceasing of breathing activity in the middle of the night because of blockage of the sinus, resulting to disturbed sleep. Sleep apnea like all physical conditions can be treated. In this case, the treatment is done through therapy complemented by a sleep apnea oral appliance.

It is important to have sleep apnea treated as early as possibly as it may lead to complications and even complicated procedures in the future, like a bypass heart surgery since sleep apnea is known to cause heart problems.

Sleep apnea oral appliances are more commonly known as CPAP devices. CPAP is an acronym for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. These devices come in the form of a mask interface and a pressure unit. The interfaces vary. There are some that are inserted into the nasal oral cavities so air is continually pumped at a predetermined pressure rate so the body is forced to continue breathing and thus prevent sleep apena. A chin or jaw strap may also be used. Being ambulatory, you can carry these devices around and bring these with you in your travels until the therapy is completed. You can go on a vacation from New York to the nearby NJ area or even overseas, and you can still bring these devices with you.

There are many types of sleep apnea oral appliance. Hence, great care must be exercised when choosing the ones that you will use for your therapy. Selection is done through consultations with your surgeon.

The first criterion for choosing apnea oral devices is comfort. The mask must be tight enough but still remain comfortable on whatever sleeping position your body assumes. It might be able to permit you to comfortably sleep on your side, on your back, or face-down while still permitting the same tightness to prevent air from leaking. Fortunately, most of these devices feature a quick release clip so that users can easily detach the mask and wear them again without having to readjust the straps.

The way you breathe is also an important factor when choosing a sleep apnea oral appliance. Some people breathe through their mouth, probably because of obstructions in the breathing passages in the nose. If you are one of these, then you should consider getting a mask that allows users to breathe through their mouths instead of the nose. In addition, it is still possible to use these appliances even if you have an oral cleft. Again, it is important to consult with your physician to determine your breathing arrangement.

Other physical conditions are also considered when choosing a face mask for your sleep apnea devices. For example, if you wear eyeglasses, you may want to find a mask that is placed at a low position on your noise so you can wear them while wearing the face mask. Allergies also play a part in the selection. Most face masks are generally made of a hard plastic body and a silicone seal. Silicone allergy can exist in some people so alternative materials exist to address that, so some face mask seals are constructed out of synthetic rubber or vinyl to address that need.

Deviated Septum Surgery Cure Sleep Apnea

Deviated septum surgery is a procedure intended to address the problem of having deviated septum. This condition practically makes it difficult for a person to breathe through the nose, which can complicate things later on. This is caused by the nasal septum not being aligned correctly in the midline. The ideal nasal septum is divided exactly in line with the middle part of the upper lip.

What is deviated septum?

A deviated septum may be caused by past physical trauma to the nose area. This trauma may be a result to repeated injury to the nose. Symptoms of having an abnormal septum include: recurrent nosebleeds and blockage in one or both nasal cavities. Pictures of people with deviated septum typically show a crooked nose structure perhaps as a result of the trauma.

Who are your choices?

There are many surgeons nationwide that are certified and qualified to perform deviated septum surgery. All of these surgeons have completed the necessary training to qualify as a deviated septum surgeon. Some of them may even offer robotic deviated septum surgeries. You can use the LocateADoc.com service to find surgeons qualified to perform the procedure in your area.

Dr. J. Phillip Garcia is one of these surgeons. A graduate of Jacksonville University, he operates a facial surgery clinic together with his brother Dr. Roberto Eloy Garcia. Prior to becoming a full-time facial surgeon, Dr. Garcia completed a research fellowship in Otolaryngology as well as in Head and Neck surgery at the Albert Einstein College. He also completed an internship in General Surgery and a residency in his fellowship fields in the same institute. He performs deviated septum surgery along with other facial surgeries like face-lifting, browlifing and eyelid surgeries.

Another deviated septum surgeon is Dr. B. Terry B. Seymour III. Dr. Seymour is a board-certified ear, nose and throat specialist from Lithonia, Georgia. Dr. Seymour maintains a clinic named ENT Facial Plastics, PC and holds a certification from the American Board of Otolaryngology to attest to his qualification in the field.

Dr. William E. Bolger is another example of these doctors. Dr. Bolger is an expert in treating chronic sinusitis and in performing related procedures like deviated septum surgery and endoscopic sinus surgery, among others. He is also a prolific writer on his chosen field, having written over 90 publications and has chaired over 250 lectures not only in the United States but overseas as well. Dr. Bolger is a graduate of Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland and was part of batch 1986. Dr. Bolger is a recipient of many awards including the Best Doctors in America award and the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, and has had the privilege of being mentored by the propagator of endoscopic sinus surgery, Dr. David W. Kennedy.

Finally, we have Dr. Bradley Chastant. Dr. Chastant is a practitioner of facial surgery at the Acadian Facial Plastic Surgery in Lafayette, Louisiana. He is also a teacher, holding a post as clinic instructor at the LSU Medical Center. He is also the chief surgeon specializing in ears, nose and throat surgery at the University Medical Center in Lafayette. Dr. Chastant's clinic is located at 1000 W. Pinhook Road, Ste. 201 in Lafayette.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Septoplasty Surgery

If you have been snoring a lot of times or that you are suffering from a medical problem called sleep apnea, perhaps you need to undergo a sleep apnea septoplasty. There is a huge tendency that you have a deviated septum.

What is a deviated septum?

The wall that separates the nasal passageways in the nostrils is called septum. It is just a very thin part of the body, composed of cartilage, which is found in the front, and bone, which is located at the back. If the septum does not appear to be straight, you may be suffering from a condition called deviated septum, which can then alleviate your difficulty in breathing. When your respiration is obstructed, you can already be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

What is sleep apnea septoplasty?

This is a type of surgery that is being conducted to change or correct the deformities or defects that you have with your septum. It is also called nasal septum repair. It is quite different from rhinoplasty, where the nose is being reshaped for cosmetic or medical reasons.

What is the procedure in septoplasty?

First, you have to coordinate with a surgeon. There are actually a lot of them all over the country. You can find a center in Cleveland, Houston, and Philadelphia, to name a few. If you have undergone a traumatic injury or surgery, it may take weeks before you can go through a sleep apnea septoplasty.

The surgeon will also evaluate the airflow in your nostrils. A test may be conducted, or if the patient is a child, he may just be asked to breathe in and out deeply in front of the mirror. The mist that will form can already tell the difference.

Moreover, just like any form of surgery, a patient will have to be placed under general anesthesia, so he will not be feeling any pain all throughout the operation. There will be medications given to avoid complicating the operation or prevent blood clot. What are the complications involved in the surgery? Since there are no blood vessels that are being touched, there are not a lot of risks compared to other types of facial or sleep apnea surgeries. It may include bruising or swelling of the face, though. There may be discoloration or minor allergic reaction. What is the success rate after the surgery? The operation can extremely help in increasing the air flow or breathing. You will also acquire a better shape for your nose. You can hasten the healing if you can place ice packs on your nose.

However, if you are suffering from apena, you can increase the effectiveness of sleep apnea septoplasty if you can also lose some weight. Obesity or being overweight can also contribute to breathing problems. You can check your diet, settle for healthy recipes, or perform some exercise regimen. If the problem is already worse, you can try bariatric surgery, which can also be performed by the same surgeon that you have for septoplasty.

Sleep Apnea in Children Symptoms and Treatment

Sleep apnea in children is becoming more and more common nowadays. While it is frustrating enough to have your husband snoring through out the night, it is even more disturbing to realize that your children might have the symptoms of sleep apnea as well. In this scenario, there are a few things that worth your attention here as it might be some signal to the health of your kids.

Research has shown that parents with snoring issues or sleep apnea symptoms are 3 times more likely to have sleep apnea in their children. In addition, children that suffered from the condition of asthma and allergies would be 2x more susceptible to develop sleep apnea symptoms. Medical research test have also shown that children with sleep apnea would be more likely to get ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) as compared to other normal kids. In terms of ethnicity, African American Children are 3x higher risk to develop sleep apnea than Asia and Caucasian.

If you happen to suspect sleep apnea in children, do not hesitate to consult your home doctor. Your physician should immediately diagnose the seriousness of sleep apnea in your children to prevent the situation from deteriorating. Even the symptoms might seems not significant at the initial stage, these type of sleep disorder might turn into major health consequences, such as major behaviorial changes, learning disabilities, and other heart-related problem. Early prevention would make a huge health impact to your children’s sleep apnea condition.

There are also other factors that you can check whether it is the cause of sleep apnea in your children. Recent studies have discovered that the head size might indicate some association with the sleep apnea pattern in children. Children with round head are more prone to develop sleep apnea compared to long thin shaped head.

Another indicator for sleep apnea in children would be obesity. If your children are overweight, they are having  higher risk of developing such symptoms. The enlarged neck size with surrounding fatty layers might narrow the air path of the throat, causing air flow problem.

Smoking might be another cause for sleep apnea in your children. Check whether they are constantly exposed under second hand smoking in their living environment and schools. Inhalation of too much smoke might cause their tonsils to be enlarged causing nasal blockage.

Some children would have symptoms of sleep apnea when they are ill. A common flu might cause a kid to snore until its cold is over. Pay attention to the sleep pattern of your kids to ensure that they are having adequate amount of good sleep every day. A prolonged period of insomnia might also develop sleep apnea in children.

In short, as a parent it is advisable for  you to discover the cause of sleep apnea in your children as soon as possible, either trying to correlate all the symptoms or bringing them for a complete diagnosis in hospital. Sleep apnea in children could very well related to their lifestyle, sleeping pattern, and other heath related issues. Preventing and treating sleep apnea at the early stage is crucial for your children’s wellness.