Surgical treatment of sleep apnea syndrome

Abstract

Several surgical procedures have been developed for the treatment of sleep apnea syndrome. These include nasal, uvulopalatopharyngeal, and head and neck surgery, weight reduction surgery, and tracheostomy. Despite over 15 years of experience with some of these operations, there is still a lack of consensus regarding the indications, success rate, complications, and long-term prognosis associated with these procedures. The current status of these surgical procedures is reviewed.