Alternatives to positive airway pressure for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Owing to the prevalence, the considerable risk of accidents and cardiovascular consequences, optimal treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is of crucial importance. However, many patients look for alternative conservative or surgical therapies to continuous positive airway pressure to avoid discomfort and local side-effects owing to the mask. Scientific data are lacking for most of the alternative methods. However, it has been proven that intra-oral appliances can reduce mild-to-moderate respiratory disturbances; the maxillo-mandibular osteotomy is efficient in the short- and long-term but is preferred in special situations such as craniofacial dysmorphias. Weight reduction and body positioning cannot be recommended as a single treatment for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Resections of muscular tissue within the soft palate have to be strictly avoided. Efficacy of gentle soft palate procedures is difficult to predict and often decreases in the years following this treatment. Multilevel surgery concepts are of increasing interest, although more data from prospective, controlled studies are needed.