Learn more about UPPP surgery for sleep apnea and snoring.

By Michael Larkin


UPPP is a major surgery for obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. This surgical procedure may not always work and has some risky side effects that go along with it.

Simply put, UPPP is the removal of tissue from the throat and mouth to help open up the airway passage. The removal of excess tissues helps with the blockage of the airway which causes OSA and snoring.

There are a couple reasons why you may be a good candidate for this surgery. If you are tired of having to rely on a CPAP or a CPAP machine simply doesn't work for you. There are many other options to treat sleep apnea than a CPAP or surgery though.

What tissues of the throat and mouth are taken out with UPPP? A section of the soft palate, the uvula, adenoids, tonsils and other tissues may be removed during the procedure.

If an enlarged tongue is a major cause of sleep apnea, there is a different procedure called uvulopalatopharyngoglossoplasty. This surgery removes part of the enlarged tongue. This helps from the tongue blocking the whole airway.

There are several side effects that can come with having UPPP. A nasally sound from the voice; speech issues; bleeding; infection; bleeding; residual pain; may not work on all cases; long periods of pain medication; may still have to use the CPAP after; complications during surgery and can actually make Obstructive sleep apnea symptoms worse.

There have been mixed results with cases for this surgery. In some it completely works with out any complications. In other cases it doesn't work and causes some risky side effects.

UPPP surgery may correct snoring issues, but may not treat sleep apnea. This can cause an issue because sleep apnea's biggest warning sign is snoring. If you are no longer snoring it can mask the fact you still have obstructive sleep apnea. This can cause major health issues associated with sleep apnea because it is still not treated even though you may think so. Have someone monitor sleep after the surgery has been done to be safe.

UPPP surgery for sleep apnea is successful for some people and has a lot of benefits that can come with it. It also has some negative side effects that may not be for some people. There are risks when it comes to all surgeries. This surgery for sleep apnea is not a guarantee and there are many other safe alternatives out there. Consult your doctor for the right guidance on if this surgery may be right for you.




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