title: LUPP relieves partial upper airway obstruction during sleep in patients with velopharyngeal narrowing.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with upper airway narrowing at the soft palate level and partial upper airway obstruction during sleep seem to benefit from laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LUPP) in terms of decreased velopharyngeal collapsibility and improved nocturnal breathing.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current operative treatments for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) are not very effective compared with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). It has been suggested that active treatment should be performed earlier, when sleep apnea is present in a milder form. The main problem is identifying progressive sleep apnea. The present study assessed the efficacy of LUPP in patients with partial upper airway obstruction during sleep diagnosed by means of a static charge-sensitive bed (SCSB) combined with oxyhemoglobin desaturation recording and digital fluoroscopy-based collapsibility estimation.
  
  
  METHODS
  LUPP was carried out in 27 patients under local anesthesia as day surgery. Digital fluoroscopy and SCSB were recorded preoperatively and 6 months after LUPP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Partial upper airway obstruction events and arterial oxyhemoglobin desaturations during sleep decreased significantly. Digital fluoroscopy revealed that the minimal anteroposterior dimension increased and collapsibility decreased at the level where velopharyngeal obstruction occurred, the soft palate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland. perhal@utu.fi
authors.forename: Perttu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Halme
authors.forename: Elina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Toskala
authors.forename: Esa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Laurikainen
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Antila
authors.forename: Yoshito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsushima
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Polo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000601:surgery*; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000601:surgery*