title: Partial resection of the tongue for the amelioration of obstructive sleep apnoea: a report on 34 cases with long-term follow-up.
abstract: This is a report on 34 consecutive patients who had partial resection of the tongue (PROT) for severe snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Short-term (7-24 months) follow-up of 30 patients and long-term (7-11 years) follow-up of 20 patients revealed 88% short-term and 65% long-term improvement in symptoms. Weight loss (4.5 to 24.5 kg) occurred in 10 patients, 5 of whom were improved by the procedure. The oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal spaces are widened by removal of a wedge of tissue from the body of the tongue. PROT appears to be a simple but effective means of relieving OSA symptoms. There were no long-term complications. This procedure seems likely to reduce the morbidity and mortality of OSA, especially when associated with serious cardio-vascular or pulmonary pathology.
authors.affiliation: Straith Hospital for Special Surgery, Southfield, MI, USA.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Straith
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ritter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005927:Glossectomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000601:surgery*; D012913:Snoring / Q000601:surgery; D014059:Tongue / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome