Effectiveness of Uvulopalatoplasty and Nasal Surgery in OSAS Patients

INTRODUCTION: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of simultaneous uvulopalatoplasty and nasal surgery in patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 48 patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and nasal breathing disorders. The 1(st) group of 20 patients underwent septoplasty and volumetric tissue reduction of inferior turbinates and the 2(nd) group of 28 patients underwent septoplasty, volumetric tissue reduction of inferior turbinate, uvulopalatoplasty. RESULTS: In the 1(st) group, the pre-operative apnoea-hypopnea index median decreased from 22.1 ep/h to 14.9 ep/h after the surgery. Pre-operative median of nasal airflow volume grew from 167.0 cm(3) to 609.5 cm(3) post-operatively and the loudness of snoring decreased from 2.7±0.2 to 0.7±0.2. In the 2(nd) group, the apnoea-hypopnea index median decreased from 20.4 ep/h to 5.3 ep./h. The pre-operative median of nasal airflow volume grew from 189.5 cm(3) to 519.5 cm(3) post-operatively and the loudness of snoring improved from 2.6±0.2 pre-op to 1.1±0.2. CONCLUSION: Patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and nasal breathing disorders are advised to have nasal surgery combined with uvulopalatoplasty for a better outcome.