title: Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty with Nd:YAG laser for sleep disorders.
abstract: We evaluated the apnea index (AI), the oxygen saturation above 95% (SA95), the lowest oxygen saturation (LSAT), and snoring before and after laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) in 106 patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (n=59) or snoring (n=47). Type 1 LAUP was performed in 42 patients and type 2 LAUP in 64 patients. A 50% or greater reduction in AI was observed in 15 patients (35.7%) who underwent type 1 LAUP and 37 patients (57.8%) who underwent type 2 LAUP. Snoring was diminished in 18 (51.4%) of 35 patients who underwent type 1 LAUP and 30 (55.6%) of 54 patients who underwent type 2 LAUP. SA95 and LSAT showed no difference. No serious complications such as significant bleeding, postoperative episodes of asphyxia, nasopharyngeal stenosis, or nasal regurgitation were observed. LAUP was an effective outpatient treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hanada
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Furuta
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tateyama
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uchizono
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009354:Neodymium; D010159:Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D012913:Snoring / Q000209:etiology; D014609:Uvula / Q000601:surgery*; D015019:Yttrium
chemical_list: D009354:Neodymium; D015019:Yttrium