Effectiveness of Uvulopalatoplasty and Nasal Surgery in OSAS Patients.

Introduction: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of simultaneous uvulopalatoplasty and nasal surgery in patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.

Materials and methods: We studied 48 patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and nasal breathing disorders. The 1^st group of 20 patients underwent septoplasty and volumetric tissue reduction of inferior turbinates and the 2^nd group of 28 patients underwent septoplasty, volumetric tissue reduction of inferior turbinate, uvulopalatoplasty.

Results: In the 1^st group, the pre-operative apnoea-hypopnea index median decreased from 22.1 ep/h to 14.9 ep/h after the surgery. Pre-operative median of nasal airflow volume grew from 167.0 cm³ to 609.5 cm³ post-operatively and the loudness of snoring decreased from 2.7±0.2 to 0.7±0.2. In the 2^nd group, the apnoea-hypopnea index median decreased from 20.4 ep/h to 5.3 ep./h. The pre-operative median of nasal airflow volume grew from 189.5 cm³ to 519.5 cm³ post-operatively and the loudness of snoring improved from 2.6±0.2 pre-op to 1.1±0.2.

Conclusion: Patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and nasal breathing disorders are advised to have nasal surgery combined with uvulopalatoplasty for a better outcome.