LASER-ASSISTED UVULOPALATOPLASTY FOR HABITUAL SNORING WITHOUT SLEEP-APNEA - OUTCOME AND COMPLICATIONS

Thirty patients suffering from habitual snoring were subjected to lase r-assisted uvulopalatoplasty with a KTP/532 laser under local anesthes ia. The patients selected for the present study had no complaints of s evere sleep apnea. The surgical procedure included bilateral vertical incision through the palate at the base of the uvula with or without r emoval of the lower half of the uvula. Ninety-three percent of the pat ients showed apparent improvement of snoring following the operation. However, other sleep-related symptoms such as sleep quality and daytim e sleepiness were not significantly improved. No major or critical com plications such as massive bleeding and asphyxia occurred. Postoperati ve pain on deglutition disappeared in most patients 2 weeks after the operation. This procedure is safe, minimally invasive and effective fo r habitual snoring without apnea.