For obstructive sleep apnea patients who don’t tolerate their CPAP (air mask to aid breathing while sleeping), surgery may be a good option. By evaluating the airway from the nose down to the lungs, your surgeon can determine if you are a good candidate for a hyoid myotomy and suspension, which involves pulling forward the hyoid bone to prevent the base of the tongue collapse while sleeping.

The hyoid bone is found above the cartilage in your throat known as the Adam’s apple. In hyoid myotomy and suspension, the hyoid bone is advanced forward and secured to the jaw bone or mandible. This helps stabilize this section of the airway to re-establish airflow.

This procedure consists of inserting implants (small rod-like objects made of braided suture material) into the soft palate of your mouth. It helps relieve snoring and mild sleep apnea. This is done to help keep that area of the palate rigid so that it doesn’t collapse during sleep and contribute to snoring or sleep apnea. This method is an alternative to tissue removal and other surgical procedures. It may be done under local anesthesia in the office or combined with other surgical procedures in the operating room.

Septoplasty is a surgical procedure that removes an obstruction of the nasal septum that can cause breathing issues and contribute to sleep apnea.

The surgeon makes an incision on either side of the septum to remove or reposition cartilage or bone that is causing the blockage. This outpatient procedure is usually done under a general anesthetic and takes about one hour to complete.

A frequent level of obstruction during sleep apnea is the base of tongue. Tongue suspension pulls the tongue muscles forward. This decreases the severity of displacement into the throat, clearing the airway. Other procedures, such as suspension or hyoid myotomy, permanent suture through base of tongue, are usually conducted along with tongue suspension for greater results.

The objective of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, also known as UP3 surgery, is to remove the tonsils, uvula and part of the soft palate to correct sleep apnea. This type of procedure is usually recommended when patients are not able to tolerate their CPAP (air mask to aid breathing while sleeping), or if enlarged tonsils and uvula are the cause of obstruction.

Expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty (ESP) is a variation of the UP3, used in selected circumstances.

The anterior palatoplasty is a “mini-UP3” that can be used to correct mild obstructive sleep apnea or primary snoring. Surgery is usually done under a general anesthetic.

CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is a medical mask that pushes air into your nose and/or mouth when you sleep to treat sleep apnea. Common problems with CPAP include air leaks, difficulty falling asleep and a dry mouth or nose. There are many CPAP options that can solve these issues. Some come with gradual air release and even heated humidification. Of course, you can always rely on other treatments if CPAP doesn’t work out for you.