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Objective: Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) has been used as a treatment option for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea for almost three decades. It has been previously reported that some patient’s sleep-disordered breathing worsened following surgery. The aim of this paper is to further elucidate the specific complications of LAUP. Data sources: A systematic search of the electronic databases MEDLINE/PubMed, Google Scholar, and Embase. Review methods: The PRISMA statement was followed. Databases were searched from inception through September 2, 2018. The following search was applied to MEDLINE/PubMed ((laser AND uvul*) OR (LAUP) OR (LAVP) OR (laser AND (apnea OR apnoea OR sleep))). Results: Forty-two studies with a mean follow-up of 16.1 months reported complications on 3,093 total patients who underwent LAUP. The percentages and associated complications of LAUP are as follows: bleeding (2.6%), candidiasis (0.3%), dryness (7.2%), dysgeusia (0.3%), dysosmia (0.2%), globus sensation (8.2%), surgical site infection (1.3%), velopharyngeal (VP) insufficiency (3.9%), and VP stenosis (1.6%). The mean duration of patient-reported pain in studies that reported pain was 11.65 days. Only globus and VP insufficiency had a significant incidence compared with either the general population or the post-oropharyngeal surgery population with relative risks of 1.48 and 2.25, respectively. Overall, there were approximately 26 complications per 100 patients who underwent LAUP. Conclusion: LAUP is associated with a statistically significant rate of VP insufficiency and globus sensation; however, studies lack details of surgical approaches, suggesting that in a population identified as good candidates, a tissue-sparing approach may result in fewer complications.

The field of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery is privy to a myriad of technological advancements. As innovation in areas such as imaging, computer applications, and biomaterials progresses at breakneck speed, the potential for clinical application is endless. This review of recent progress in the implementation of new technologies in facial plastic surgery highlights some of the most innovative and impactful developments in the past few years of literature. Patient-specific surgical modeling has become the gold standard for oncologic and posttraumatic reconstructive surgery, with demonstrated improvements in operative times, restoration of anatomical structure, and patient satisfaction. Similarly, reductions in revision rates with improvements in learner technical proficiency have been noted with the use of patient-specific models in free flap reconstruction. In the cosmetic realm, simulation-based rhinoplasty implants have drastically reduced operative times while concurrently raising patient postoperative ratings of cosmetic appearance. Intraoperative imaging has also seen recent expansion in its adoption driven largely by reports of eradication of postoperative imaging and secondary—often complicated—revision reconstructions. A burgeoning area likely to deliver many advances in years to come is the integration of bioprinting into reconstructive surgery. Although yet to clearly make the translational leap, the implications of easily generatable induced pluripotent stem cells in replacing autologous, cadaveric, or synthetic tissues in surgical reconstruction are remarkable.

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