Throat surgery

sleepngo · Post by **sleepngo** » Sat May 03, 2008 2:29 pm

Regards to all, I have a question, one that has been discussed before, but would like to hear from those who have went under the knife for UPPP and Uvula reduction.

My question is, did it help or make things worse? The reason I am asking is that I had a consultation with my ENT to have an Adenotonsillectomy and he said I should have the soft palate and uvula reduced also. He assured me that he has had a very good success rate with this type surgery, but I have read a few stories concerning this type of surgery, most have been negative.

I would appreciate any replies, good or bad. thanks

Dan

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat May 03, 2008 3:06 pm

I had a UPPP with tonsillectomy about 13 years ago. I am a bit puzzled why "and Uvula reduction" is added because removal or reduction of the uvula is part of a UPPP.

I do not know how much it affected my AHI, overnight oximetry showed that I still had use a CPAP after surgery. I had severe apnea about 14 years ago and I still have severe sleep apnea.

The surgery caused me to aspirate and choke while eating small pieces of food, such as corn or peas. I have to cough for a while to bring the food up and out of my esophagus; what a relief it is when I cough up a piece of corn that I had aspirated.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Sat May 03, 2008 3:18 pm

Don't let them talk you into it.
I haven't had it done but have read the horror stories over the years.

Instead of asking everybody to re-hash this subject, why don't you go up to the Search function and do a search on "UPPP" and read to your heart's content. It's been discussed many, many times......and the consensus is the same. It won't help your therapy and will usually require higher pressures to treat OSA.

Den

Titrator · Post by **Titrator** » Sat May 03, 2008 3:22 pm

Hi Sleepngo,

I had a turbinate reduction, septoplasty and reduction of mucosa on sinus wall on Thursday. I am still doped up on Vicodin and in a lot of pain.

From what I am told by my ENT, is the UPPP will only cut your apea index number in half. So, if you are having 70 AHI per hour, you will ultimately have 30 AHI per hour. This is still sleep apnea. Unless you have mild or moderate sleep apnea, I would not do it.

Regards,

Ted

sleepngo · Post by **sleepngo** » Sat May 03, 2008 3:30 pm

Bearded_one, thanks for the reply, wasn't sure about the wording, just wanted to make sure that I didn't leave anything out.
My Dr. also told me that after the surgery I would still have to use a CPAP machine, but the pressure would be reduced, by how much he would not commit to a answer. I don't mind having the adenotonsillectomy, but the UPPP sounds a little to much. He did indicate that after UPPP a lot of people like yourself have the gaging problem and that i might too.

I am still concerned about having a UPPP, what with all the bad side effects.

Dan

sleepngo · Post by **sleepngo** » Sat May 03, 2008 3:45 pm

Thanks Den and Ted for the information. I will do a search under UPPP, just wanted to be reassured that it's probably not worth the pain to under go such a radical procedure and maybe drop my pressure by one or two cm.

He didn't sound like he wanted to do the adenotonsillectomy without doing the UPPP. The ENT that referred me to him thought that my tonsils were large enough that they should be removed.

Dan

sleepngo · Post by **sleepngo** » Sat May 03, 2008 4:56 pm

Thanks to everyone that replied. I did the search and found enough reasons to forgo the uppp for now. My CPAP treatment is working very well for me, but I have always had problems with my large tonsils and the last time I came down with tonsillitis my ENT suggested that it would be a good idea to have them removed, so I think I will tell my Dr. who is going to do the surgery to just do the adenotonsillectomy. Tanks again.

Dan

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat May 03, 2008 5:32 pm

I find it odd that he would claim that UPPP will reduce CPAP pressure because it can actually increase your CPAP pressure. My UPPP did not affect my CPAP pressure.

curtcurt46 · Post by **curtcurt46** » Sat May 03, 2008 5:35 pm

I had the UPPP with no side effects and I believe it only stopped my snoring. I would not have it done if I had to do over. Just in case the subject comes up with your ENT, the turbinate reduction is quite helpful but you need to consider why they might need to be reduced. In most cases it a result of allergic inflamation. Nasal rinses and nasal spays can help.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Sat May 03, 2008 7:06 pm

you could probably count the successful UPPP surgeries on one hand, thing about cutting all that tissue out is it just creates a bigger hole for the tongue to land into, main cause of most OSA when sleeping on your back, sleep on your side or stomach tongue doesn't flop back as easy, you have fewer events,

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Sat May 03, 2008 7:26 pm

Hey Ted...

Hope you're feeling better soon!

Brenda

roster · Post by **roster** » Sat May 03, 2008 8:21 pm

curtcurt46 wrote:..........Just in case the subject comes up with your ENT, the turbinate reduction is quite helpful but you need to consider why they might need to be reduced. In most cases it a result of allergic inflamation. Nasal rinses and nasal spays can help.

Curtis, I agree. Before my surgeon would perform turbinate reduction:

1. He tested for allergies.
2. He examined the turbinates for signs of inflammation.
3. He required six weeks of daily saline nasal rinses followed by use of a cortisone nasal spray.

I had no allergies, no signs of inflammation of the turbinates and the six weeks of treatment did not shrink my turbinates. So I had all six turbinates reduced and a double deviated septum corrected.

sleepngo · Post by **sleepngo** » Sat May 03, 2008 8:23 pm

Curtis, I had the nasal surgery done in 2005 and it worked great, can breath through my nose now, before surgery was stopped up almost 24/7. The Dr. that did my nasal surgery has retired and she referred me to the Dr. that I am seeing now. I think his position was that sense I was having a tonsillectomy, that I might as well have the UPPP done also, the pain would be about the same either way. He said that I had a lot of soft tissue hanging lose in my throat and that it would help open up the air way better, but after reading some of the stories about UPPP I think that I will wait and see if they find a better method of removing excess tissue from the palate, while stabilizing the airway passage.

Dan

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Sat May 03, 2008 9:41 pm

It's removing your tonsils the may give a pressure drop. Not UPPP.

O.

no_more_headaches · Post by **no_more_headaches** » Sun May 04, 2008 12:48 am

I had a LAUP (Laser assisted Uvulaplasty) and my uvula is now gone. I have a higher tendancy of getting saliva down the windpipe now. I had to get it done because my uvula had grown so large I felt like I was swallowing it.

It did nothing for my apnea becuase thats in my throat not my sinuses.

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