Obstructive sleep apnea: variations in surgical management.

Forty patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) were either treated by submucous resection, alone or by palatopharyngoplasty (PPP). Before surgery, each patient underwent a thorough sleep evaluation for the diagnosis of OSA. Of the 23 patients treated by submucous resection alone, eight had more than a 50% reduction in their apnea index and were considered successfully treated. Of the remaining 15, ten received a supplemental tongue retaining device (TRD). Five of the ten were markedly improved. The overall success rate in this group was 57%. Of the 17 patients treated by submucous resection and PPP, ten were treated successfully. Six of the remaining seven patients were subsequently treated with a TRD, which was successful in four. The overall success rate in this group was 82%.