MMA Surgery in CT

[bfoot623]

Hello, I am new to this website, but unfortunately not new to CPAP. I have been on CPAP for 9 years, and I have recently started to have problems. I have gone to auto-titration and now I am going to begin bi-pap. My sleep doctor mentioned MMA surgery as a possibility - so I began looking into it. I was wondering if anyone had any advice/preference/recommendation for surgeons in the CT area who do this surgery. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[rested gal]

If I were thinking about having MMA surgery, I'd go to California for it -- to Dr. Kasey Li.

MMA is just about the only really successful surgery (short of a trache!) for OSA, as far as I know. But I think how well it turned out would depend greatly on the expertise of the doctor performing the MMA. I'd choose Dr. Li.

[jnk]

If you feel like hearing a one-hour interview by Dr. Park of Dr. Li about the procedure, click here:

http://www.sleepapneasurgery.com/audio/ ... 49f272.mp3

[Mac33]

go hereto find the best surgeon....this is prety radical surgey so reseach carefully....then researchsome mor

http://www.sleepnet.com/noncpap24/noncpap24.html

[GumbyCT]

My sleep doctor mentioned MMA surgery as a possibility - so I began looking into it.

May I asked who your sleep doc is?

[bfoot623]

I currently see Dr. Mohsenin - Yale Center for Sleep Medicine. I have an upcoming appointment to discuss the latest results of my last sleep study and was trying to be proactive in finding out about MMA surgery.

Thanks for any help/advice you can offer.

[thr61]

Even though this thread is a few months old, I thought I would jump in. I had MMA surgery here in Massachusetts two weeks ago. The surgery was done in framingham by Dr. Willie Stephens, who was one of the pioneers of this procedure at Stanford. It is not for the faint of heart, but I am two weeks without CPAP and not having any OSA symptoms.

I am happy to provide more details on the experience, the process and the outcome for those who are interested. I will say in advance that Dr. Stephens is truly amazing and I would not have had this done without having access to him.

[Mac33]

What was you AHI prior to surgery?
This is pretty radical surgery why did you have it done?

[rested gal]

I am happy to provide more details on the experience, the process and the outcome for those who are interested.

I think there are a lot of readers out there who are interested, thr61! I hope you'll write more about how it's going for you.

This is pretty radical surgery why did you have it done?

Not to answer for thr61...he/she can tell you the "why" that applies personally to him/her. My answer, though, if I chose to go the MMA/GA route would be, "Because that's the only surgery (other than a tracheostomy) which, when done by an experienced competent surgeon, is said to be shown through follow-ups to be a permanent cure for OSA more than 90% of the time." A permanent cure for people whose OSA is caused by having a very narrow airway. Not just a partial reduction in AHI, or a temporary fix, like UPPP or other "OSA surgeries" usually are.

I'm not the least bit interested in MMA for me -- I'm well treated by "cpap" and am quite comfortable using "cpap." I do like to learn more about other treatment approaches to OSA; however, since there are many OSA sufferers who are not as well-treated by "cpap" as I am.

[roster]

35 years ago, if there had been surgeons competent in this surgery and I had known what I know today about how devastating sleep apnea would be to me, I would have mortgaged the house to have the surgery.

"If all the ifs and buts were candy and nuts, it would be Christmas year round."

[SleepingUgly]

Thanks for the link, JNK!

I'm tired so I'm not sure if I heard him right, but did Dr. Li say that most people, unless they are obese or above mid-60's or so, are good candidates for MMA? I thought that type of surgery was determined by site of obstruction, but after hearing this talk, I wonder if it's almost as simple as: eliminate soft tissue redundancy, if it exists (aka "move the furniture out") or do jaw surgery (aka "expand the room")??

If you feel like hearing a one-hour interview by Dr. Park of Dr. Li about the procedure, click here:

http://www.sleepapneasurgery.com/audio/ ... 49f272.mp3

[jnk]

Thanks for the link, JNK!

I'm tired so I'm not sure if I heard him right, but did Dr. Li say that most people, unless they are obese or above mid-60's or so, are good candidates for MMA? I thought that type of surgery was determined by site of obstruction, but after hearing this talk, I wonder if it's almost as simple as: eliminate soft tissue redundancy, if it exists (aka "move the furniture out") or do jaw surgery (aka "expand the room")??

If you feel like hearing a one-hour interview by Dr. Park of Dr. Li about the procedure, click here:

http://www.sleepapneasurgery.com/audio/ ... 49f272.mp3

Hi, SleepingUgly.

I am embarrassed to admit that I didn't listen to the whole thing, myself, since, much as Rested Gal also said, I am not interested in it for myself.

Personally, I would not use the word "simple" when referring to anything MMA related in any way. Moving the jaw like that is a BIG deal, and as long as PAP therapy works as well as it does for me, I am thankful for a solution that doesn't involve knives, saws, hammers, vice grips, bright lights, happy gas, and straws.

I think it is amazing what talented surgeons can do for people these days. But, personally, I would take a trache before I let someone restructure my whole jaw, mouth, teeth, chin, etc. (even though my whole face could use some redecorating and furniture-rearrangement, I guess ).

At this point, as has been said by others, I would not want to be practice for a surgeon learning about this procedure. I would want some serious experience in a surgeon doing the restructuring.

jeff

[roster]

Simple surgeries are ones done on others.

[SleepingUgly]

Personally, I would not use the word "simple" when referring to anything MMA related in any way.

I didn't mean that an MMA surgery was simple, but that I walked away from the MP3 talk thinking that he was saying there are two routes to go: expand the space of the "room" (i.e., jaw surgery), or move some "furniture" out (i.e., soft tissue surgery, if there is excess). Also, I understood him to say that MMA is a viable option for most people (barring certain populations). Previously my understanding was that it was an issue of where you are obstructing, and not just a matter of making more space in whatever way possible. I guess I have to listen to it again when it is not midnight!

I am not considering MMA, but I am trying to understand the surgery options and the basis for deciding which surgery is appropriate for which patient.

[jnk]

Personally, I would not use the word "simple" when referring to anything MMA related in any way.

I didn't mean that an MMA surgery was simple, but that I walked away from the MP3 talk thinking that he was saying there are two routes to go: expand the space of the "room" (i.e., jaw surgery), or move some "furniture" out (i.e., soft tissue surgery, if there is excess). Also, I understood him to say that MMA is a viable option for most people (barring certain populations). Previously my understanding was that it was an issue of where you are obstructing, and not just a matter of making more space in whatever way possible. I guess I have to listen to it again when it is not midnight!

I am not considering MMA, but I am trying to understand the surgery options and the basis for deciding which surgery is appropriate for which patient.

Hey, you left off the smiley face in my quote. Yeah, I was just using your words as a joking way to make my point. I didn't mean to misquote you. I was taking journalistic license and running a stop sign.

I agree that it is great to learn all this stuff.

To my way of thinking, I believe the surgery would be likely to help most anyone with OSA because of the location of the area it expands. But I agree that some would likely benefit a lot more than others.

I am a scaredy-cat when it comes to surgery. I only sing as a hobby, but I am afraid what it would do to my voice. Besides, my wife might decide that she prefers me with my mouth wired shut, and then where would I be?!

Good thoughts and questions, SleepingUgly. You PostPretty.

Simple surgeries are ones done on others.

Now ain't THAT the truth!

jeff