Interesting Surgery Link

[jeremytang]

My parents sent me this link after watching it on TV:

http://www.thedoctorstv.com/main/procedure_list/761

As they described it, they reconstructed the throat with a plasma blade and described it like an "internal" face lift. I heard stories of people that have done surgeries but have had complications due to scarring etc... perhaps this is a superior method?

Anyway, the surgeon's title was an OTOLARYNGOLOGIST.

Anyone know more about this?

Jeremy

[roster]

Here is a thread about it viewtopic.php?f=1&t=46575&p=418448&hili ... ma#p418448 .

Be sure to note Dr. Steven Park's comments I quoted. The surgery is not as exciting as they made it seem.

[howkim]

Anyway, the surgeon's title was an OTOLARYNGOLOGIST.

That's the term in "medical-ese" for an ENT doc.

[Mac33]

Rooster- Dr Parks site and your link has no reference to the plasma blade. I think he talks about traditional surgery where there is a likely chance of scarring.
The plasma blade eliminates any damage and scarring which cause a worse condition than before.

[roster]

Rooster- Dr Parks site and your link has no reference to the plasma blade. I think he talks about traditional surgery where there is a likely chance of scarring.
The plasma blade eliminates any damage and scarring which cause a worse condition than before.

This is what Dr. Park said in an email to me about the video:

He did the standard uvulopalatopharyngoplasty procedure for sleep apnea, using a not too new technology. I've been using the plasma device for 8 years for the soft palate and tonsils. The tonsils weren't that big.

He doesn't mention whether or not she tried CPAP first and consider dental devices.

They may have cut off the procedure. At one point, I saw the assistant holding a Somnoplasty device for the tongue base, and I'm assuming that they performed this procedure as well. It's not too exciting to watch, so they probably edited it out.

It seems what they are doing in the video has been standard procedure for some years.

[Julie]

It's known as UPPP surgery and the problem is that while it helps some people to feel better for a while afterward, the effect seems to disappear within a year, leaving patients where they were prior to surgery.

[Gerryk]

I believe that the doc has a lot to do with the results of the surgery. I had a UPPP and tonsilectomoy done about seven months ago and have had unbelievable results. My doctor is going to fix the blockage in my nose this coming spring and with some more weight loss, I will probably be off cpap. Two of the four guys I work with had this same procedure done. One had it done about two years ago by the same surgeon I had and he has been off cpap for over a year. The other guy had his surgery done over 25 years ago by a different surgeon. He was on cpap until this summer, when he was able to discontinue because of weight loss.

I would not say that this is typical, but both of the surgeons that did this are highly skilled and well known with my surgeon mainly doing cases that others consider hopeless.

Everything I read abotu a UPPP and tonsilectomy says the overall success rate is not extremely high, but I also believe it has to do with the overall approach and treatment. Complete treatment not just the surgery is needed, IE weight loss if indicated, meds that will relax the throat muscles, alcohol. I think that is all part of it, avoiding certain things and living a healthier life.

Gerry

[roster]

Unless a good novel cure comes first, I believe someday surgeons will figure out how to determine in advance who is a good candidate for the surgery and who is not.

[Julie]

What I would watch out for however, is that many testimonial type of stories don't necessarily take into account people who have had surgery, assumed they were 'cured' but never followed up with a new sleep study and in fact may still have apnea, but don't know it or are in denial.