Sleep Apnea Surgery
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Give Bad Sleep a Rest
Sleep is a vital sign, and healthy and restful sleep is key to health and we
ll-being. Whether you are looking for the latest surgical treatments for snoring, sleep apnea, insomnia or other sleep issues, MetroHealth’s experienced sleep specialists can help you give bad sleep a rest.
Sleep Surgery
Our experienced sleep surgeons treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
To schedule an appointment, call 216-778-4391.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most common sleep disorder in the United States, with approximately 50 million Americans suffering from poor—and dangerous—sleep.
Symptoms include:
- Snoring
- Morning headaches
- Daytime fatigue
- Depression and anxiety
Even if you have none of these symptoms, you may have OSA. OSA can be diagnosed through a sleep study—at home or in the MetroHealth Sleep Clinic. Call 216-778-4391 to schedule a sleep study.
UPPP Surgery: Snoring and Sleep Apnea
UPPP surgery, or uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, removes tissue in the back of the throat. It’s extra tissue that you don’t need—and tissue that causes your airway to be blocked, resulting in snoring and mild sleep apnea.
Tissue removed may include portions of your:
- Uvula
- Soft palate
- Tonsils
- Adenoids
UPPP surgery may be used in combination with other treatments to treat sleep apnea or snoring. UPPP surgery may also mean that you don’t need a CPAP anymore.
MMA Surgery: Sleep Apnea
MMA surgery, or maxillomandibular advancement surgery, repositions the bones in your jaw to allow for better airflow.
MMA surgery is often used for moderate to severe sleep apnea, especially for patients who cannot use a CPAP device.
Can’t use a CPAP? Inspire Surgery
Inspire Surgery uses a small device—like a pacemaker implanted in your throat—to provide gentle stimulation to your throat muscles while you sleep.
This stimulation allows your airways to remain open while you sleep.
Inspire patients often report less pain than other sleep apnea surgeries, and the device lasts 10-11 years.
Requirements for Inspire Surgery:
- 22 years old or older
- Moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea
- Unable to use CPAP machine
- Must not be significantly overweight
Which Sleep Surgery Works Best?
Since each obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patient has a different anatomy and obstruction issue there is no single surgery that helps everyone.
Advances in upper airway and sleep surgery can offer a definitive solution for many OSA patients to get rid of their CPAP. In other cases, surgery can be part of a comprehensive approach making the use of CPAP or oral appliances more tolerable.
The goal of sleep surgery is to reduce anatomical obstruction in the nose, palate, throat and along the tongue. Often patients have multiple areas of obstruction which must be treated to maximize airway patency. Unfortunately, there is no single surgery that helps everyone because each OSA patient has a different anatomy.
Therefore, prior to recommending any sleep surgery, a MetroHealth ENT provider will usually perform an upper airway exam to determine which treatment or surgery works best for each individual patient. This involves the patient being in a "sleep-like" state which is much more representative of their sleep apnea condition than performing an exam while a patient is awake. This exam is called Drug Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE).
Who should make an appointment?
Approximately 40 to 50 percent of all OSA patients are unable to tolerate continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) at night. As a result, these patients are at an increased risk to experience other medical problems such as:
- Irregular heartbeat
- Stroke and heart attack
- High blood pressure
- Weight gain
- Worsening of diabetes
- Reduced life expectancy
Patients who are unable to use CPAP are encouraged to make an appointment with our specialists to learn more about other treatment options. MetroHealth offers state-of-the-art care for patients who suffer from OSA. A team of experienced physicians will address patients concerns and symptoms at a multidisciplinary level in order to treat OSA and to improve their quality of life.
Inspire Surgery (Upper Airway Stimulation)
What is it and how does it work?
Inspire surgery, or upper airway stimulation, involves a small implantable pacemaker-like device which stabilizes the throat while sleeping by providing gentle stimulation to throat muscles and allowing the airway to remain open during sleep.
Inspire therapy is not for everyone and patients will need to meet the following guidelines:
- Be 22 years of age or older
- Have moderate to severe OSA
- Be unable to use CPAP machine
- Not for people who are significantly overweight
Other types of sleep surgeries include nasal surgery, surgery for palatal obstruction, and tongue surgery.
How well does it work?
Several studies have reported on safety and efficacy of upper airway stimulation with high patient satisfaction scores:
- Most patients are extremely pleased with their Inspire experience.
- The surgery is usually better tolerated compared to any other sleep surgery with less pain.
- Inspire therapy is extremely powerful in improving or even curing patients from OSA.
The device battery lasts approximately ten to eleven years, after which it can be replaced during a brief outpatient surgery.
Learn More About Inspire Therapy