| ENT MATTERS |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Palatal Surgery
Uvulo-Palato-Plasty
This operation reduces the size of the uvula and
changes the shape of the soft palate, in order to stop
the vibration of the uvula against the back of the
throat.
This procedure can be done with diathermy, laser,
‘cold steel’ and sutures (stitches) or radio-frequency.
Coblation (radio-frequency) assisted uvulo-palato-
plasty (CAUP) is the preferred method of the author.
This is a procedure for people who are not obese and
suffer from simple snoring with or without mild
obstructive sleep apnoea.
The operation can be performed under local or
general anaesthesia using a radio-frequency
instrument that causes the soft palate to become stiff
(due to scarring/fibrosis) and also re-shapes the
uvula.
There is minimal risk of bleeding during the operation.
The recovery is fast with antibiotics, painkillers and a
local anaesthetic spray given after the procedure.
The recovery is fast with minimal time off work if it is
done under general anaesthetic. The current trend is
for this procedure to be done under local anaesthesia
to reduce the patient’s recovery time.
This procedure is usually successful if the patient
does not gain weight. Rarely, a second procedure
may be necessary.
Uvulo-Palato-Pharyngoplasty
The aim of this operation is to change the shape of
the uvula and the soft palate but also to remove the
tonsils that block the airway.
It can be done with diathermy, laser, ‘cold steel’ and
sutures (stitches) or Coblation radio-frequency, which
is less painful (due to less thermal damage to the
tissue compared with diathermy or laser and minimal
or no blood loss compared to ‘cold steel’ dissection).
Coblation (radio-frequency) Assisted Uvulo-Palato-
Pharyngoplasty):
This is a more extensive procedure that is used for
snorers with enlarged tonsils and / or OSA.
The operation is always carried out under general
anaesthesia and involves the re-shaping of the uvula
and the soft palate together with the removal of the
tonsils (tonsillectomy) using Coblation Radio-
frequency.
There is no blood loss during the operation but there
is post-operative pain and risk of bleeding relevant to
tonsillectomy.
The recovery time is approximately 10 days. The
recovery is fast with antibiotics, painkillers and a
local anaesthetic spray given after the procedure to
help the recovery and during this period the patient
should refrain from work.
Again, the success of this operation depends on the
patient’s weight gain afterwards. If the patient’s body
mass index (BMI) is within normal limits (< 29) then
the success rate is high.
Uvulo-Palato-Plasty
This operation reduces the size of the uvula and
changes the shape of the soft palate, in order to stop
the vibration of the uvula against the back of the
throat.
This procedure can be done with diathermy, laser,
‘cold steel’ and sutures (stitches) or radio-frequency.
Coblation (radio-frequency) assisted uvulo-palato-
plasty (CAUP) is the preferred method of the author.
This is a procedure for people who are not obese and
suffer from simple snoring with or without mild
obstructive sleep apnoea.
The operation can be performed under local or
general anaesthesia using a radio-frequency
instrument that causes the soft palate to become stiff
(due to scarring/fibrosis) and also re-shapes the
uvula.
There is minimal risk of bleeding during the operation.
The recovery is fast with antibiotics, painkillers and a
local anaesthetic spray given after the procedure.
The recovery is fast with minimal time off work if it is
done under general anaesthetic. The current trend is
for this procedure to be done under local anaesthesia
to reduce the patient’s recovery time.
This procedure is usually successful if the patient
does not gain weight. Rarely, a second procedure
may be necessary.
Uvulo-Palato-Pharyngoplasty
The aim of this operation is to change the shape of
the uvula and the soft palate but also to remove the
tonsils that block the airway.
It can be done with diathermy, laser, ‘cold steel’ and
sutures (stitches) or Coblation radio-frequency, which
is less painful (due to less thermal damage to the
tissue compared with diathermy or laser and minimal
or no blood loss compared to ‘cold steel’ dissection).
Coblation (radio-frequency) Assisted Uvulo-Palato-
Pharyngoplasty):
This is a more extensive procedure that is used for
snorers with enlarged tonsils and / or OSA.
The operation is always carried out under general
anaesthesia and involves the re-shaping of the uvula
and the soft palate together with the removal of the
tonsils (tonsillectomy) using Coblation Radio-
frequency.
There is no blood loss during the operation but there
is post-operative pain and risk of bleeding relevant to
tonsillectomy.
The recovery time is approximately 10 days. The
recovery is fast with antibiotics, painkillers and a
local anaesthetic spray given after the procedure to
help the recovery and during this period the patient
should refrain from work.
Again, the success of this operation depends on the
patient’s weight gain afterwards. If the patient’s body
mass index (BMI) is within normal limits (< 29) then
the success rate is high.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |