Quality of Life 17 to 20 Years After Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty

Abstract

When undertaking UPPP, both subjective and objective benefits should be weighed against the risk of long-term ill effects. Patients should also be warned that the long-term side effects such as VPI, dry throat, and abnormal swallowing sensation might be more common than previously expected.

Comparative Effectiveness of the Different Treatment Modalities for Snoring

“…Some studies warn for a possible decrease of the effect of surgery over time. 11,17,19 We did not observe a decrease in treatment effect between 6 weeks and 6 months after treatment. However, the absorption of scar tissue is a process that may last .1 year.…”

“…24 With 9% to 18% of patients still experiencing side effects 6 months after surgery, our results are comparable or even better than other reports. 2,9,17,19,24,25 In our population, about 1 in 4 CPAP patients could not tolerate the mask after 6 months of treatment. This is comparable to or better than other reports concerning CPAP compliance.…”

Surgical Therapy of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Review

“…There is also the common issue of weight gain with aging. Weight gain is one of the main predisposing factors to deterioration of surgical success [50,68]. Thus, as OSA may persist or recur with time, long-term follow-up is recommended, independent of the modality of treatment chosen [22].…”

Outcomes of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty with harmonic scalpel after failure of continuous positive airway pressure in sleep apnea syndrome

“…Unexpected scar formation and inappropriate selection of patients for surgical treatment may contribute to these poor success rates [1,2]. For these reasons, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is the treatment of choice for OSA.…”