Coworker died from OSA operation

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)

. . . Success Rates. Success rates for sleep apnea surgery . . . often deteriorate with time, averaging about 50% or less over the long term. . . . Many or most patients with moderate or severe sleep apnea will likely still require CPAP treatment after surgery.

Complications. Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty is among the most painful treatments for sleep apnea, and recovery takes several weeks. . . . The procedure also has a number of potentially serious complications. In fact, in one study, 42% of patients had complaints about the procedure. Some complications include:

*Infection. In one study, this complication was so common that 40% of patients needed another operation because of it. . . . Impaired function in the soft palate and muscles of the throat

*Mucus in the throat

*Changes in voice frequency

*Swallowing problems

*Regurgitation of fluids through the nose or mouth

*Impaired sense of smell

*Failure and recurrence of apnea. In such cases, CPAP is often less effective afterward . . .

According to a 2006 study, patients are more likely to experience complications if they have severe sleep apnea, are overweight, have other medical problems, or undergo other surgical procedures at the same time as UPPP.

-- http://www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/w ... 065_10.htm

Nope. Not for me.

I have had both a UPPP and an MMA. I have the excuse that when I had them done there was no Internet to find out how useless they would be. I can't believe the number of people who are informed of the success rates and the possible side effects, yet they get defensive and defiantly go ahead with the surgery.

ozij wrote:UvuloPalatoPharyngoPlasty

The saddest part it that the notorious UPPP is not even a successful surgery when it works.
He should never have tried it.
O.

Amen. That's the saddest part of all.

If there was a relatively successful surgery, I'd take it in a heartbeat.

CPAP seems like the better route, but I feel about it this way. If I didn't have apnea but went on CPAP as an experiment, I would experience a notable degradation in my quality of life including a small negative impact on my health.

The net benefits are great. But there eventually will be something better.

Paul56 wrote:I feel the same about apea as I do about Lasik corrective eye surgery.

As long as I can wear glasses to correct my vision I will... Lasik is permament along with the permanent side effects. Same with surgery for whatever... if I can avoid it I will. I will just have to learn to live with the xPAP machine and eyeglasses. <--- the keyword there is LIVE.

I don't think you can compare Lasik with UPPP surgery. I had Lasik done back in 2002 and I get an annual eye check up every year (last one in Feb 09). My eye doc says he would not be able to tell I ever had Lasik if I had not told him and my eye sight remains 20/20. My wife had it done last year and her's has so far turned out just fine (her annual comes up in August).

I no longer live with having my glasses fog up or losing them in the river while tubing (yep that happened to me once ) or trying to find where you left them last or having them slip off when you are working up a sweat or having to take them off to do some Aikido sparring or some naked wrestling with a young lady

DreamStalker wrote:

ozij wrote:UvuloPalatoPharyngoPlasty

The saddest part it that the notorious UPPP is not even a successful surgery when it works.
He should never have tried it.
O.

I disagree.

The saddest thing is that those idiot doctors are going to keep doing those surgeries despite that it is a useless procedure for OSA.

You are so correct. I was thinking that the doctors offered a treatment that was the kiss of death.

The most minor of surgeries are not without risks. Just like taking meds. We can know what could happen, but statistically the worst case scenario happens to so few, so we take our chances and expect to be in the satisfied majority. We all have to weigh the value and probability of a successful outcome against the risks.

Sad accounts such as this young man's are sobering. One can only hope his story will bring more awareness to the different aspects of the subject. Don't know what his complications were. I had a nephew in his 30's die post surgically from a blood clot. The surgery was not elective. Sometimes things just don't go well no matter how good the surgeon or necessary the surgery. I would imagine it adds another layer of sadness for loved ones when the no-risk non-surgical options are viewed in the clarity of hindsight.

john_dozer wrote:If there was a relatively successful surgery, I'd take it in a heartbeat.

From what I've read, the Stanford Protocol, a phased series of surgeries, has a success rate of about 90% when performed by an experienced surgical team. (Such as the team that developed it, Drs. Riley and Powell, http://www.sleepsurgery.com/)

It doesn't appeal to me because besides the surgical risk and pain, one of the most important surgeries in the protocol, the Bi-Max, can (will?) permanently alter your facial appearance.

What doctors consider a success and what people who have had surgery consider a success are often two very different things.

For example, I would consider an "OSA operation" to be a success if 10 years later a formerly moderate-to-severe OSA patient who had that one operation still has no annoying side effects, still says it was totally worth it and the outcome was exactly as expected, and still has an AHI below 5 without using any machine.

By that measure, I believe the "success rate" for UPPP might be something like, oh, maybe .000000000001 %. But that's just a rough unscientific guess on my part.

jeff

Wow, how sad. I am a newbie, too, still trying to read up on OSA. I am sorry to read about this.

That is so sad. I will never even consider surgery of any kind to correct my OSA. My BiPap takes care of me very well, and I will use it for the rest of my life instead of having an invasive procedure done.

preemiern wrote:That is so sad. I will never even consider surgery of any kind to correct my OSA. My BiPap takes care of me very well, and I will use it for the rest of my life instead of having an invasive procedure done.

I believe that surgical corrections of nasal/sinus obstructions have helped many patients make a success of their PAP therapy. I would consider that if I needed it. But not palate surgery, which can make PAP therapy more difficult, among other problems.

I'm sorry you lost a friend, but I am very angry that this surgery is still being done. Stanford may be an exception, but I notice in their web site, that the surgery has been greatly modified.

I had UPPP surgery after I could not get cpap to succeed for me. My problem was that several years ago masks were not as well constructed as they are now. At that time every mask I tried leaked into my eyes, and I got Conjunctivitis (eye infection) each time I went back to cpap.

I had been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, and after cpap therapy failed, I was concerned about the effects of untreated apnea. My surgery was several years ago, my internist was not familiar with it, and I had no place to discover the warnings about it. I had previous sinus surgery. When I went for a sinus check-up, the ENT told me it was considered an actual life saver for people with apnea, who could not, or would not continue with cpap. It would prevent the damage to the body that untreated apnea can do.

It was such an easy surgery he did it on an outpatient basis. He discussed it with me for a year, emphasizing the dangers of not having treatment for apnea. I had the surgery - as an outpatient - he also did nasal polyp surgery. at the same time. Can you imagine being sent home in a semi-conscious state, a short time after surgery. I was unable to breathe through my nose and felt my throat had been cut. The pain was unbelievable, & I could not swallow a pain pill, or anything other than ice chips. My DH was told not to let me lie down because I could easily choke. He semi-tied me in a seated position in a recliner. I was not conscious or strong enough to hold myself up.

I have significant complications from the surgery, including sleep apnea and I have a current post, trying to glean ideas from the experienced people here,how to get cpap work to with a multitated throat. if anyone reading this has information that would help me, check out my post, it begins "After UPPP surgery " . RobertMarilyn also has a post for the same reason. Unseccsssful apnea therapy after UPPP surgery.

Jan

That is a shame that your coworker had surgery instead of just wearing the mask at night. It is much simpler and safer. Now---Lasik is permament --and I had Lasik!! It is a great LIFE without my glasses--it was a very safe operation. I am so glad I did do the Lasik.

Carrie