Corrective Surgery
In the most severe cases of sleep apnea, surgery is performed to correct the breathing obstruction causing the condition. This usually occurs after several other treatment options have been tried and found to be insufficient to address the problem. Sleep apnea surgery is designed to create more space in your nasal or throat airway in order to facilitate unobstructed breathing and eliminate snoring. Several different types of surgery exist, including:
- Tissue Removal
- The goal of this procedure is to correct throat vibration that leads to snoring and sleep apnea. It is accomplished by removal of rear-mouth and throat tissue as well as tonsils and adenoids.
- Jaw Repositioning
- This surgery creates additional space near the tongue and soft palate areas in the mouth by adjusting the jaw. By moving the jaw forward, patients are able to breathe more easily.
- Tracheostomy
- For patients with sleep apnea that is threatening their lives, a surgeon will create a neck opening and insert an artificial breathing tube. This surgical opening is uncovered when you sleep so that air may move past the obstructed area.
