Snoring surgery
Snoring is the emission of noises through the mouth during sleep. If it is associated with sleep apnea, surgery will not be the first recourse, and a specific assessment will be carried out (link with apnea syndrome). Secondly, snoring can be reduced by non-surgical measures such as weight loss, stopping alcohol consumption in the evening, and adapting treatments responsible for muscular relaxation of the tongue and veil during sleep (sleeping pills, hypnotics, muscle relaxants, old-generation antihistamines). Finally, anything that involves the need to open the mouth to breathe while sleeping can lead to snoring. There are many causes of obstruction to nasal breathing (allergic or non-allergic rhinitis, nasopharyngeal polyposis, deviated nasal septum (in connection with septoplasty), enlarged vegetations (in connection with adenoidectomy)), and these are not necessarily factors in snoring that need to be treated before proposing a specific snoring operation such as uvulopharyngopalatoplasty. Radiofrequency may be an alternative to uvulopharyngopalatoplasty, but this should be discussed with your specialist. Uvulopharyngopalatoplasty is performed under general anesthetic by an ENT surgeon, and requires several days’ hospitalization.
Find out more about uvulopharyngopalatoplasty snoring surgery of Dr Delagranda, ENT surgeon in La Roche sur Yon, France.
Oropharynx, soft palate and snoring
Snoring is caused by an increase in the speed of inspired air, which disturbs the airflow and causes the walls of the oropharynx (especially the soft palate and tonsils) to vibrate. If the upper airway space is reduced by an excessive drop in pharyngeal muscle tone during sleep, the speed of inspiratory airflow increases considerably, creating snoring.
The soft palate forms the boundary between the oral cavity and the oropharynx. Too supple or too heavy due to fatty infiltration during weight gain, particularly when the muscles that make it up are hypotonic during sleep, it can become deformed like a flag in the wind, creating noises as the inspired air passes through. Fatty infiltration of the tongue increases its weight and contributes to snoring. The soft palate is made up of 10 muscles, some of which are attached to the base of the skull and others to the tongue or pharynx.
The tonsils, located on the sides of the oropharynx between two muscles of the soft palate, can contribute to the vibratory phenomenon of snoring when they are prominent.
Who is concerned by uvulopharyngopalatoplasty ?
Adult snorers without sleep apnea syndrome, whose nasal or rhinopharyngeal pathologies have been previously treated or eliminated.
When should uvulopharyngopalatoplasty be performed?
- Embarrassing snoring for the patient.
- Embarrassing snoring for the partner, which can lead to significant relationship problems.
It’s important to remember that before deciding to undergo uvulopharyngopalatoplasty, the doctor must have eliminated or treated other causes of snoring (nasal and rhinopharyngeal) and sleep apnea syndrome.
Objectives of uvulopharyngopalatoplasty surgery
Eliminate snoring by stiffening the soft palate and lateral oropharyngeal walls, making them less deformable and vibratory.
The different stages of the intervention
The surgical procedure
CO2 laser uvulopharyngopalatoplasty concerns everything that can contribute to vibrations, and therefore to snoring, when air is breathed into the oropharynx: the uvula, the soft palate, the tonsils. It is performed in 45-60 minutes using a laser. The uvula is cut, the tonsils removed, the anterior and posterior pillars sectioned, and the soft palate laser-impacted down to the muscle plane to create a fibrous scar.
Post-operative convalescence
The patient returns home the next day, or the day after if hospitalized for the week. The pain is considerable. There may be minor nosebleeds or blood-tinged sputum in the days that follow.
Post-operative care at home: strong analgesics (class II minimum, class III frequent), soft, cold food for 10 days.
Scarring: no visible scars.
Complications associated with uvulopharyngopalatoplasty surgery
In addition to the risks inherent in any surgery involving general anesthesia, uvulopharyngopalatoplasty presents rare complications:
Bleeding after the 10th day.
Facial burns (the face is protected, as are the eyes, but the medical literature describes this phenomenon as a result of poor laser handling).
Changes in vowel pronunciation.
Please consult the ENT College’s explanatory sheet on uvulopharyngopalatoplasty for further explanations:
➔ Radio-frequence velaire
➔ Uvulo-palato-pharyngoplastie avec amygdalectomie
Frequently asked questions
Here is a selection of questions frequently asked by Dr Delagranda’s patients during consultations for uvulopharyngopalatoplasty in La Roche-sur-Yon.
Does snoring disappear immediately?
No, you need to wait for complete mucosal healing, which can take more than 3 weeks and sometimes even longer to achieve deep, rigidifying fibrosis.
Will my breath change?
Yes, temporarily. The controlled laser burn even gives a burnt sensation in the throat until the mucosa has healed (3 weeks).
Will the inside of my throat change?
Yes, initially black, then creamy white, the mucosa will turn pink again. The uvula (the one-centimeter-long fleshy element that hangs in the middle at the back of the throat) will be gone, as will the palatine tonsils.
Fees and coverage of the procedure
Uvulopharyngopalatoplasty is not covered by health insurance. Contact your mutual insurance company to find out whether any extra fees will be covered.
Do you have a question? Need more information?
Dr. Antoine Delagranda is available to answer any questions you may have about uvulopharyngopalatoplasty. Dr Delagranda is a specialist in ENT surgery at the Clinique Saint-Charles in La Roche-sur-Yon, France.
ENT consultation for uvulopharyngopalatoplasty in Vendée
Dr Antoine Delagranda will be happy to answer any questions you may have about uvulopharyngopalatoplasty. Dr Delagranda is a specialist in ENT surgery at the Clinique Saint Charles in La Roche-sur-Yon in the Vendée.