Interesting, James.jskinner wrote:I struggle to keep my AHI below 5. I saw my ENT specialist again today and was discussing the situation with him. He again pointed out that I have an unusually long uvula and that he thinks I should get it removed (via LUAP). He said he doesn't usually recommend that anymore but in my case thinks I should. In fact while examining me the called in all his med students to have a look since its so umm freakishly long...
You already know where everything is... lol... but for readers who want to see a diagram, here's a pretty good link:
http://www.evmsent.org/sleep_apnea_and_snoring.asp
So...here's what I'm wondering about. I can understand how the uvula and dropping back of the tongue and relaxation of the soft palate and back of throat would cause blockage during sleep when not using CPAP.
And I understand how the addition of cpap pressurized air pushes all the soft stuff out of the way as we breathe -- keeps the airway open.
You're using a nasal mask (breathing solely through your nose, providing you don't accidentally mouth breathe any during the night) and the air is being breathed through the nose, breathed down along the back of the throat, behind the uvula. Even with a "freakishly" long uvula, won't cpap air keep the uvula pushed out of the way, just like the way cpap air pushes back all the other soft tissue?
Wonder if your uvula (sorry to be getting so personal! LOL! ) is acting like an airplane wing when the extra pressure of cpap air passes over it, and is getting pulled toward the back of your throat instead of being pushed forward out of the way... if that's even possible.
Or maybe"freakishly" long means hanging way down into the back of your throat...down so far you can't even see the end of it...so that it is a permanent blockage of sorts down inside the throat itself...
I guess I just don't understand without seeing it (and I realllllly am not asking to see it! LOL!! ) why the doctor would feel that whacking off your uvula would improve what cpap is already doing to keep it pushed forward out of the way during sleep.
But... if it's "freakishly" long....
And if it can't be pushed out of the way enough by cpap air...maybe being pushed as much as possible against the back of the tongue...and that just isn't far enough given the unusual size of the uvula.... I suppose that could make it keep being somewhat of a blockage.
Anyway, I guess I'd be wondering more if leaks or nasal congestion/sinus issues or GERD might be playing a bigger role in not getting the AHI down more. A bigger role than even a "freakishly" long uvula could.
But I'm not a doctor. And the only knife I wield when it comes to OSA matters is to attack my masks.
