Re: Why no surgery forums?
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Was just wondering (unless I missed 'em)..why no surgery related forums?
None. Surgical queries are usually posted on the main forum.
I'm an OSA patient since 2003 who outright, blatantly hates his Bi-Pap. I hate it more than my x-wife!
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Over the past couple of years, I've been researching mouth pieces but everywhere I go - from my pulmonologist, dentist, ENT or sleep dr. No one knows the exact how or where. My insurance says that they'll probably cover it if it's deemed necessary by a Dr. but they also have no list of doctors.
Dental devices are often effective with mild apnoea, sometimes moderate but seldom, if ever are they effective with severe OSA.
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Soooo...I went to an ENT yesterday. Had that scopey thing up my nose and down my throat. He said I have a deviated septum (already knew that), a narrow airway and a large tongue base.
I'm scheduled to have surgery on Nov 11th 2008 to fix the deviated septum, remove my tonsils and adenoids and also (if approved by insurance) some procedure that's supposed to bring my tongue forward. He just called it the Tongue Advancement Procedure.
Did he suggest a sleep study ? Did he ask to see your last sleep study report ? So, you have OSA, diagnosed with a sleep study, using Bi Level therapy.......an ENT carries out an examination in his office and books you in for surgery........not very professional, after all how does he know the severity or type of your condition ?
Correcting the deviated septum is a good idea, it helps to make XPAP more tolerable. Do your tonsils/adenoids cause you problems or are they so large that they are uncomfortable ? If not there really is little point in removing them. These are Upper Airway surgical procedures, which are ineffective in dealing with severe OSA.
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Anyone have any experience with results? My current score is 47x per night and my O2 has dropped to almost 60. I've tried a million masks, currently using a nasal pillow. I have a humidifier on it but still can't stand it.
I assume that the 47 per night is an AHI of 47 ? If so, you have severe sleep apnoea. Regardless of what your ENT says, the numbers are stacked against you, from a success point of view. Even if you have a 'surgical success' it is almost certain that you will require XPAP therapy post surgery. Your O2 sats at 60 are very low.
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I currently have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, am a few lbs overweight amongst other things.
In view of the close link between cardiac problems and untreated OSA, it is imperative that you monitor your condition post surgery and ensure that your condition remains treated.
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I feel that given my current health and OSA I really have no choice but to explore anything and everything that's out there. I realize I'm in for a world of pain, but it'll be worth it if it only helps a little bit.
How do you guys feel about surgery? Thanks for reading this far.. 
There are always one or two who claim that surgery is successful in 'curing' OSA. Unfortunately there is a very great risk that your OSA may appear cured, but it does return within weeks/months or even years.
If you are really serious about surgery, then a tracheostomy is 100% successful and is fully reversible if you are not happy.
Personally, I wouldn't go for surgery, but you can decide for yourself, particularly after the type of experience you have had with your ENT. He has looked in your mouth, seen the obvious and decided to cut/remove.......he is addressing some obstruction sites, but not attempting to deal with the underlying problem. The tongue advancement merely attempts to create more space at the back of the throat. A lot of pain with no guarantees and statistics are not good.
Best of luck.
Daniel.
--Jack[/quote]
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The untreated Sleep Apnoea sufferer died quietly in his sleep.......
Unlike his three passengers who died screaming !!!!!!
(Anon)
