Single-stage CO2 laser assisted uvuloplasty for treatment of snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnoea

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe a single-stage laser ass isted uvuloplasty (uvulectomy) and to determine its effectiveness in treatm ent of snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Patients and Method s: All patients treated with laser assisted uvuloplasty in a 49-month perio d for snoring and/or mild OSA were studied. Frequency of snoring before and after surgery, loudness of snoring and postoperative discomfort mere inves tigated. Patients were asked to evaluate change in daytime energy, sleep ha bits, missed days of work and also overall satisfaction following laser ass isted uvuloplasty. Results: Thirty patients underwent a single-stage laser assisted uvuloplasty, A preoperative diagnosis of OSA was established in 19 patients, the remaining 11 patients mere treated for snoring. There were n o complications and only one patient required an additional stage. A questi onnaire was completed by 18 patients (10 patients diagnosed with sleep apno ea, and eight patients with snoring only). Preoperatively the frequency of snoring averaged 9.3 cm on a visual analogue scale. Postoperatively there m ere 12 patients with either none or very minimal snoring and sis patients w ho had an average score of 3.2. Loudness of snoring also decreased from an average of 5.4 to 2.5 cm. Postoperative discomfort averaged 1.1 cm, Improve ment in sleep was noted by 16 patients and improved daytime energy was note d by 17 patients. Eleven patients reported that they missed at least one da y of work postoperatively with an average of 3 days missed. Patient satisfa ction was reported by 17 patients,vith only one stating that he was unsatis fied with the procedure. Conclusions: Laser-assisted uvuloplasty (uvulectom y) is an effective surgical procedure for treatment of snoring and some typ es of OSA. A single-stage procedure appears to be effective and may further decrease the morbidity associated with this disease. (C) 2000 European Ass ociation for Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery.