Nonsurgical and surgical treatments for sleep apnea.
This article reviews the various treatments currently available for obstructive sleep apnea and discusses some newer and more controversial therapies. Decisions regarding the best treatment should be aimed at relieving the unique levels of obstruction in each patient. Increased controlled outcome trials will be needed to assess the success of each therapy in certain subpopulations in comparison with CPAP. As these data become available, the roles of each therapy will become clearer in treating this major health problem.
Couch
Marion Everett
ME
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, G0412 Neurosciences Hospital, CB 7070, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7070, USA. marion_couch@med.unc.edu
Senior
Brent
B
D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods