Snoring Treatment
How well did you sleep last night?

Have you been told that you snore?  Snoring is not only annoying to your bed partner but also is bad for your health.  It could deprive you and your loved ones from proper sleep.  A quiet, restful sleep is essential to good health. Interrupted sleep associated with snoring may cause sleep apnea, a condition where you can stop breathing for up to a minute, depriving you from vital oxygen and may  lead to many problems.  Without the proper amount of sleep you can:

• Wake up tired with a headache
• Have restless sleep
• Become nervous
• Be easily irritable
• Be physically fatigued
• Fall sleep behind the wheel
• Develop serious health problems  
• Have memory loss and be forgetful

Is there any danger associated with snoring?
As mentioned above, snoring is commonly a sign of a much more serious condition known as sleep apnea, when individuals literally stop breathing during sleep.  Sleep apnea is the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes during sleep.  Our message is clear, “There are over 25 million people in the United States who snore and may suffer from sleep apnea.  The condition is ignored by the person who is snoring because apnea (pause in breathing) happens when patients are asleep,” according to Dr. Madani, chairman of the department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Capital Health Medical Center and the director of the Center for Corrective Surgery in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.  In a chapter that was published in the latest issue of the Clinics Of North America, Dr. Madani has introduced several new techniques to treat snoring and mild sleep apnea.  “Our study of 5,600 patients showed that most snorers believe that they are in fact better sleepers! The truth may be that they suffer from such a severe case of sleep apnea that they are exhausted during the day and have restless sleep at night.  Over 70% of snoring bed partners spend more time apart from their partners than together,” says Madani. 

A procedure called LA-UPPP (Laser Assisted Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty) has been performed in our center since 1992 on thousands of patients.  The primary goal and effect of this procedure is to reduce the intensity of snoring.  On average, based on our published data, the intensity of snoring is reduced up to 75%, significant enough to help patients sleep with their bed partners and be successful in 95% of cases. 

This technique can also help certain individuals with very mild obstructive sleep apnea.   Every patient is going to respond differently to these treatments and although hundreds of patients were able to discontinue the use of their CPAP (a sleep device that pumps air into your body through a nasal mask if you suffer from sleep apnea) we do recommend continuation of the device even after surgery.  The LA-UPPP is not a cure for sleep apnea.

How is laser surgery for treatment of snoring is done?
After a careful analysis of your problem(s) and detail discussion of the technique we use in our center, you are guided to a state-of-the-art examination room.  Your mouth, nose and throat are carefully examined using a high-tech digital camera. You can actually see the problem(s) and clearly understand the cause as well as limitations of any kind of surgery.  Your questions are carefully answered.  During this period of evaluation, you must discuss with us any medical problems you may have.  That should include any recent colds or if you take aspirin (or any other blood thinners).  Of course, history of allergies or other important medical information should be brought to our attention. 

Once we reviewed all the procedures, alternatives (which includes weight loss & CPAP, dental appliances as well as no procedures at all) risks and complications then we are ready to proceed with your care.  If you are extremely overweight or have major signs of sleep apnea we may recommend a sleep study prior to your treatment.  All our patients are given that option to rule out sleep apnea but once again we want you to know that LA-UPPP is not a cure for sleep apnea.  

After many years of research, working with CO² & Nd YAG laser, radiofrequency, ultrasound, Bovie, Ellman^TM, Coblation^TM and Somnoplasty^TM/SM as well as the surgical blade, we will determine what technique works best for you.  In general, we use the CO² laser in our present practice to trim the elongated uvula and the part of the roof of the mouth adjacent to the uvula.  If tonsillar tissues are present, they will be treated with radiofrequency (Coblation^TM, Somnoplasty^TM/SM or Ellman^TM) to make the tonsils smaller or even remove a portion of the tonsils.  This technique reduces pain and allows you to return to your work or school the day after surgery. 

Ninety of patients are sedated (an IV line with a small amount of medication given to relax you).  It requires patients not to eat or drink for six hours prior to their treatment.  If you are considering having a procedure done on the day of your first visit, this is an important consideration.  A responsible driver must also accompany you.  Procedures are performed on site at our facility, so you don’t have to go to a hospital and be admitted.     Recovery is very fast from this type of anesthesia.

On the average, this procedure takes less than one hour but including pre-operative preparation; you can expect to be our center for approximately 2 ½ hours. The procedure is fairly simple done right in our state-of-the-art Bala Cynwyd center. In general, most patients prefer to be asleep for this procedure. The experience of the surgeon has a lot to do not only with how fast the procedure could be done but how well and how precise. We have performed thousands of laser surgery cases over the past ten years. With our changing technology, Dr. Madani has significantly modified the procedure to be performed in a single visit.

Following the procedure, patients report:

• Significant reduction in the intensity of snoring (on average 75%)
• Better performance during the day
• Improved quality of sleep
• Enhanced breathing
• Happier family life!

Laser Snoring Surgery (LA-UPPP)

LA-UPPP combined with Nasal Radioablation: New Technique Introduced By Dr. Madani For Treatment of Snoring

In search of a way to treat snoring and sleep apnea, a variety of methods have been suggested and are currently being used. Laser Assisted Uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) is the procedure being used by most surgeons.  During this procedure CO2 laser is used to trim the uvula.  LAUP requires multiple visits and primarily involves shortening of the uvula and only a minor portion of the soft palate. This procedure has not proven to in any significant way correct sleep apnea.  Long-term results (over 7 years) have been associated with relapse.

Dr. Madani's modification of Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) surgery involves using laser to remove the uvula, shorten the soft palate and reduce the volume of the tonsils. This procedure has been done by knife previously (standard UPPP performed since early 80’s) and is well reported in the various medical journals. The older technique however was done in the operating room and under general anesthesia. Patients had to stay in the hospital in most cases for at least one night following the surgery. The complications with the traditional (knife or Electrocautery) were voice change and fluid reflux in 5-10% of cases (food and fluids escaping through the nose when patients try to swallow).

UPPP assisted with laser (see Journal Publication - published in the Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics Of North America, August 2002) includes removal of the uvula, ablation of a wide margin of the soft palate and the tonsils (if applicable) in the office. In thousands of cases treated in our center to date, only 0.1% of patients had small nasal reflux without continuous draining of fluid out of nasal passages.

Dr. Madani’s extensive studies were reported every year in the annual meetings of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and the American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons since 1998.  These studies showed snoring reduction by an average of 75% in intensity in over 90% of patients treated.  There were no cases of complete silence after surgery (no cases of silent apnea).  Patients who were suffering from sleep apnea and had to use the CPAP continue to use it at a much lower pressure. No infection cases or airway obstruction were ever seen in these patients.  No voice changes were noted in the thousands of cases treated by Dr. Madani.

Advantages of Single Step Laser Surgery

Fast: Procedures are performed in shortest period of time
Painless: You are sedated and anesthetized during the procedure
In office:  Procedures are performed under monitored anesthesia in the center
Bleeding: Laser coagulates the tissues as it ablates, generally bleeding is rare
Fast recovery: You can return to work the following day after surgery
No hospitalization: Procedures are performed in the office
No general anesthesia: No operating room and nasal or oral intubation needed

Breathing: You breathe by yourself during the procedure under anesthesia which means lower risk of respiratory complications
Immediate return to work: We encourage all patients to return to work the next day after surgery. 

Are you ready to sleep together again?

Make your appointment online now
for consultation & evaluation!
1-800-206-2000

Dr. Madani is one of the pioneers of a new laser surgery technique to treat snoring and mild sleep apnea. The material contained herein is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice or instruction. Individuals with suspected or diagnosed sleep apnea syndrome, any sleep disorder or other conditions discussed in this site should consider a personal evaluation in our facility or contact a qualified professional for further treatment.