Tongue base suspension combined with UPPP in severe OSA patients.

OBJECTIVE

Tongue base surgery in the severe OSA patients may improve the success of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) as the collapse is multilevel. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term objective and subjective effectiveness of the minimally invasive tongue base suspension combined with UPPP in severe OSA patients.

STUDY DESIGN AND

SETTING

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 22 OSA patients undergoing UPPP and the tongue base suspension for the treatment of severe OSA.

RESULTS

Twenty-two men who had their preoperative and postoperative polysomnography had a 54% reduction in the preoperative Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI), from 47.50 +/- 15.74 to a level of 17.31 +/- 14.17. The standard surgical cure rate which is a >50% reduction in the RDI and a postoperative RDI of <20 events/hour was 81.81%. All patients had some degree of subjective improvement in their snoring, daytime sleepiness, and the Epworth sleepiness scale.

CONCLUSIONS

The tongue base suspension combined with UPPP has been shown to reduce RDI better than UPPP alone. This minimally invasive technique is highly successful at 81.81% when combined with UPPP in the severe OSA patients with multilevel airway collapse.

SIGNIFICANCE: This study shows the benefits of minimally invasive tongue base suspension combined with UPPP in severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.