HSC Section 3 - Trauma, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine

Palatal Procedures for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Fig. 2. ( A ) Mucosal incisions on soft palate, uvula, and posterior tonsillar pillar and uvula in UPPP. ( B ) Excision of redundant mucosa from the soft palate, uvula, and posterior pillar and reapproximation of tissue. ( From Fujita S, Conway W, Zorick F, et al. Surgical correction of anatomic abnormalities in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1981;89:926–27; with permission.)

LASER-ASSISTED UVULOPALATOPHARYNGOPLASTY

Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) was described by Kamami 12 initially for the treatment of snoring and subsequently for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and as an alternative to UPPP. 12 The procedure was performed with the application of topical 10% lidocaine spray applied to the soft palate and base of tongue. Several milliliters of 1% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine was then injected into the soft

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