Multilevel surgery for obstructive sleep apnea: short-term results.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the efficacy of a new multilevel surgical protocol for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).


METHODS
Sixty patients with moderate to severe OSA because of multilevel pharyngeal obstruction were enrolled into this prospective, controlled clinical trial after clinical examination, endoscopy, and polysomnography. Surgery included uvulaflap, tonsillectomy, hyoid suspension, and radiofrequency treatment of the tongue base (group A). A second group did not receive hyoid suspension (group B). In both groups, nasal surgery was performed if necessary. Polysomnography and Epworth Sleepines Scale (ESS) were recorded at baseline and 2 to 15 months after surgery.


RESULTS
In group A, the mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) decreased significantly after surgery (38.9 +/- 20.0 vs 20.7 +/- 20.6, P < 0.0001), whereas in group B the AHI did not. All secondary variables (minimal oxygen saturation, mean oxygen saturation, arousal index), and the ESS significantly improved in group A with only changes in arousal index and ESS reaching levels of significance in group B.


CONCLUSIONS
The presented protocol including the hyoid suspension proved to be effective in the treatment of OSA, whereas surgery without hyoid suspension was less successful.


METHODS
B-2b.
Verse
Thomas
T
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
Baisch
Alexander
A
Maurer
Joachim T
JT
Stuck
Boris A
BA
Hörmann
Karl
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006928:Hyoid Bone / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D017286:Polysomnography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D014059:Tongue / Q000601:surgery*; D014068:Tonsillectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014609:Uvula / Q000601:surgery*