Surgery for snoring: are partners satisfied in the long run?

Patients seek surgery for snoring, essentially for the sake of their partners. Few studies have looked into the long-term results from this angle. We herein report the findings of a study of partner satisfaction, following laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) and uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UVPP). This was a questionnaire-based survey, with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. A total of 91 procedures (LAUP = 50 and UVPP = 41) were evaluated. Response rate was 65.93%. Both groups were matched for age, gender and duration of the follow-up. Residual snoring was even more frequently following LAUP than it was following UVPP (Mann-Whitney U = 244, P = 0.012). After UVPP, partners were less likely to have trouble falling asleep (Mann-Whitney U = 255, P = 0.041). There was a highly significant reduction in the disturbance of sleep and need to wake up after both types of surgery (McNemar test, chi2 = 25.037, P < 0.001). Both groups reported improvements in quality of life. We propose a grading system to record partner satisfaction. The long-term results show that surgery for snoring is justified in the National Health Service (NHS) in the new millennium.