Sleep apnea is a form of sleep disorder that can lead to serious health problems. It involves the periodic stopping of breathing while sleeping, and is connected to throat muscle relaxation. Anytime you stop breathing, your body will normally wake you up. Over time, this can dramatically and negatively impact the quality of your sleep, leading to problems like daytime sleepiness and difficulty concentrating. Eventually, sleep apnea can boost your odds of developing high blood pressure, weight gain, and other problems. If non-surgical intervention is not successful, you may require sleep apnea surgery in Mission Viejo.
Upper Airway Surgery
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is the most popular type of sleep apnea surgery in Mission Viejo that is performed to alleviate symptoms of sleep apnea. This procedure is used to help widen the airway under the tongue through the removal of excess soft tissues found around the throat. It will shorten the soft palate and remove the uvula. A UPPP prodcedure will require you to be hospitalized, with a recovery lasting several weeks. There is an alternate form of the surgery that can be performed on an outpatient basis using a laser combined with radiofrequency. Patients who have undergone a UPPP procedure often note a significant improvement in snoring, although only about 40 percent experience a major improvement in their sleep apnea.
Tracheostomy Sleep Apnea Surgery in Mission Viejo
The tracheostomy procedure involves the surgical creation of a tracheal opening under the larynx. This allows airflow to bypass the area causing the obstruction that leads to sleep apnea. Patients undergoing a tracheostomy for sleep apnea will be plugging the created opening in the daytime, which allows them to speak normally. The plug is removed while sleeping. At one time, tracheostomy was the most popular treatment for severe sleep apnea. It is still employed in severe sleep apnea cases when other methods fail to work as expected.
Radiofrequency
If you are unable to wear a corrective breathing device that helps with your sleep apnea, your doctor may advise undergoing a radiofrequency procedure to remove or shrink soft tissues found in the back of the throat to open up your airway. This technique can be used for the treatment of storing, although it often helps with sleep apnea symptoms.
Nasal Sleep Apnea Surgery in Mission Viejo
Both daytime and nighttime forms of nasal congestion have been linked to sleep apnea. So addressing chronic nasal obstruction is a way of impacting sleep apnea. The most common types of nasal surgery to combat sleep apnea are turbinate reduction and septoplasty. These techniques can be performed as an outpatient procedure, and involve straightening the septum and reducing turbinate size. This helps to open up the nasal cavity, allowing air to flow more smoothly and easily. Some patients have had a collapse of their nasal valves caused by lower nasal cartilage weakness. A surgery can be performed for them to remove deviated cartilage for placement in strengthening the valve and preventing valve collapse.