[Failure of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) in severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA)].

INTRODUCTION

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is the most frequent surgical procedure in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) treatment. The aim of this study was to assess effects of UPPP in OSA subjects admitted to our Sleep Laboratory.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

We studied 22 mostly obese males (mean BMI = 33.1 +/- 4 kg/m(2)) in mean age 51.7 +/- 9.7 years. Polysomnography or polygraphy (Poly-Mesam) was performed 28.5 +/- 30.5 month after UPPP.

RESULTS

Sleep studies after UPPP revealed severe OSA in most of the patients - mean AHI/RDI = 53 +/- 33.2, mean overnight SaO(2) = 88.1 +/- 5.3%. Subjects spent near half night in desaturation below 90% (T90 = 46.8 +/- 33.8%) and presented daytime somnolence (Epworth score: 14.3 +/- 4.8 points). Only in 3 subjects (13.6%), UPPP was successful (AHI/RDI < or = 10).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study confirmed previous data that UPPP is ineffective in majority of obese subjects with severe OSA.