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Surgical Therapy of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Review

  • Published:
Neurotherapeutics

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disease characterized by intermittent and repetitive narrowing of the airway during sleep. Surgical therapies for the treatment of OSA aim to improve airway patency by addressing selected site(s) of obstruction. Because several areas may each be responsible for the narrowing, different surgical modalities have also been developed. In this review, we give an overview of surgery for each of potential obstruction site(s). As a consequence of the multi-factorial and heterogeneous etiology of OSA, surgical therapies need to be selected and performed specifically for each patient, as there is no perfect surgery that will fit all patients. As with any other treatment modalities for OSA, surgical therapies have variable efficacy, but are a very important tool on OSA management in selected patients and have been shown effectiveness in decreasing the morbidity and mortality associated with the disease.

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  1. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA, 94305-5739, USA

    Bettina Carvalho, Jennifer Hsia & Robson Capasso

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  1. Bettina Carvalho
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  2. Jennifer Hsia
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  3. Robson Capasso
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Correspondence to Robson Capasso.

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Carvalho, B., Hsia, J. & Capasso, R. Surgical Therapy of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Review. Neurotherapeutics 9, 710–716 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13311-012-0141-x

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