Sleep apnea surgery

Sleep apnea surgery is a procedure to make breathing easier for people with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA occurs when your upper airway collapses and restricts airflow while you sleep. Sleep apnea surgery removes or reshapes tissue in your upper respiratory tract (mouth, nose, and throat) to create more room in your nasal cavities and throat for air to pass through.

Obstructive sleep apnea surgery offers a variety of benefits, including better sleep quality, reduced snoring, and less daytime fatigue. It can also reduce your risk of complications related to OSA such as heart problems and stroke.

At Penn Medicine, we offer comprehensive sleep apnea care that includes non-surgical therapies as well as the latest surgical procedures. Sleep medicine specialists and otorhinolaryngologists (ear, nose, and throat specialists) work together to diagnose the underlying cause of your condition and select the right treatment for your needs. If OSA is disrupting your nights and days, we can help you find relief from symptoms and get the rest you need.

OSA surgery is for people with severe symptoms that haven’t significantly improved with non-surgical treatments. We typically recommend lifestyle adjustments, CPAP therapy, or oral appliances before considering surgery. People who can’t wear a CPAP mask due to discomfort or claustrophobia may need to consider surgical treatment for sleep apnea. You must be healthy enough for surgery, so you may not be a candidate if you’re significantly overweight or have heart or lung conditions.  

Surgery may be right for people with the following symptoms:  

• Brief periods of not breathing while you sleep 
• Daytime drowsiness and headaches 
• Irritability or changes in mood 
• Loud snoring followed by breathing interruptions 
• Problems with memory and focus 
• Waking up out of breath 

Sleep apnea surgery varies depending on what type of procedure you have. Some are outpatient procedures that allow you to go home the same day; more complicated surgeries may require a short hospital stay. Surgery typically takes anywhere from one to three hours.  

Most surgeries require general anesthesia, so you’ll be asleep throughout the operation and won’t feel any pain. However, the risk of complications from general anesthesia is higher in people with sleep apnea. At Penn Medicine, surgeons and anesthesiologists work together to reduce your risk and closely monitor you during and after your procedure.  

Your health-care provider will give you detailed instructions about how to prepare for sleep apnea surgery. You may need to:  

• Try to quit using tobacco products at least a month before your procedure  
• Stop taking certain medications, such as blood thinners, before surgery (always follow your doctor’s advice on taking or stopping medications)  
• Avoid eating or drinking after midnight on the day of your surgery  
• Bring your CPAP machine with you to the hospital if you need stay overnight 

Recovery after sleep apnea surgery can last from one to six weeks. It may take several months to notice a significant improvement in your symptoms. Some people need to continue using their CPAP machine after surgery, but it should be easier.  

Mild pain and bleeding after surgery are normal. Keep your head elevated when lying down to reduce swelling. Your provider may recommend a special diet of soft foods and liquids if you had mouth, throat, or jaw surgery. Avoid heavy lifting and strenuous activity for at least two weeks or until your provider tells you it’s safe to resume.  

Potential side effects of sleep apnea surgery include:  

• Bleeding 
• Changes to taste and smell 
• Difficulty swallowing 
• Infection 
• Nerve injury 
• Numbness in your mouth, nose, or throat 
• Tongue paralysis 
• Voice changes 

Penn Medicine’s team of experts in otorhinolaryngology, pulmonology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and head and neck surgery work together to deliver seamlessly coordinated sleep apnea treatment tailored to your needs. Ours is one of only three sleep centers in the country designated by the National Institutes of Health as a specialized center for sleep research. This designation means that we stay at the forefront of the latest non-surgical and surgical treatments to help you find relief. In addition, surgical techniques that we invented here at Penn Medicine, such as TORS, are now used worldwide.