Multilevel Combined Surgery With Transoral Robotic Surgery for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

To evaluate the results of combined multilevel surgery with transoral robotic surgery (TORS) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome for multilevel upper airway obstruction.

Subjects who underwent combined sleep surgery via TORS were evaluated. The drug-induced sleep endoscopy was used in diagnosing the presence of level-specific upper airway collapse and to detect the type of surgery. Pre- and postoperative Apnea-hypopnea index, Epworth sleepiness scale lowest oxygen saturation, total operation time, robotic set-up time and robotic surgery time, blood loss value, and complications were recorded.

Twenty five subjects were identified. All subjects underwent base of tongue (BOT) + epiglottoplasty. The tracheotomy was not performed for any patient. Overall, 72% of patients met the criteria for cure, 8% met the criteria for cure, and 20% of patients met the criteria for failure. There was a significant decrease between preoperative and postoperative Apnea-hypopnea index scores (28.7 ± 17.8 SD versus 9.4 ± 12.4, P = 0.000) and Epworth sleepiness scale scores (13.5 ± 2.8 versus 3.4 ± 1.6, P = 0.000). There was a significant increase between preoperative and postoperative ED SPO2 levels (80.7 ± 7.6 versus 82.6 ± 18.1, P = 0.001).

TORS BOT, epiglottoplasty, and multilevel procedures in patients with obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome can be regarded as feasible, safe, and effective technique.