Glossopexia--evaluation of a new surgical method for treating obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Uvulopalatopharyngoglossoplasty, UPPGP, is a modification of the uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, UPPP, technique, originally used for surgical treatment of the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. The first method seems to be the more successful. However, polysomnography performed after UPPGP showed that about 35% of the patients still had obstructive apnea periods during sleep. Eight of these patients were reoperated with a new technique which is a combination of partial tongue resection and anterior suspension of the tongue (glossopexia). After glossopexia all the patients were subjectively relieved of their symptoms. However, polysomnography carried out postoperatively demonstrated that only 2 patients were objectively cured. The authors want to stress the necessity of meticulous polysomnographical registration pre- and postoperatively. Subjective and objective parameters recorded before and after surgery are discussed.