Hypersomnia following uvulopalatopharyngoplasty for snoring

This report describes three cases who underwent uvulopalatopharyngoplasty for severe snoring and who subsequently developed progressive excessive daytime sleepiness. All three cases were shown to have sleep fragmentation as a result of non-apnoeic episodic upper airway narrowing. These cases raise the possibility that increased upper airway resistance during sleep may be exacerbated or even caused by uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. Ideally, sleep-disordered breathing should be carefully excluded before this surgery is offered as treatment for severe snoring.