Effects of Orofacial Myofunctional Exercises on Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty Outcome: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious disorder that associated with repeated interruptions and resumptions of breathing during sleep, and is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke in adult. One of the treatment methods for OSA is Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) which aimed to eliminate obstruction mainly at soft plate and oropharynx level to determine the effects of Orofacial Myofunctional Exercises (OME) on UPPP surgery. Forty patients who underwent UPPP were randomly allocated into two groups. The exercise group performed OME for 8 weeks. The control group performed no exercise. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), mean sleep saturation, time spent below 90% oxygen saturation (T90), lowest desaturation, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and the Stanford Subjective Snoring Scale (SSSS) were measured in each group at the trial entrance time and 8 weeks later. No significant measurements' change was observed in the control group. In the exercise group significant improvements in AHI (P = 0.001), lowest desaturation (P = 0.02), T90 (P = 0.014) and ESS (P = 0.04) were observed but mean saturation and SSSS showed no significant change. At the end of study AHI in exercise group was significantly lower in the exercise group than control group (5.06 ± 5.36 vs. 10.15 ± 8.01, P = 0.02). OME over 8 weeks improved of the UPPP outcomes.