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Sleep Medicine

Why Does Sleep Apnea Surgery Fail?

Sunday, October 1, 2023
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM East Coast USA Time
Location: 202A

    Moderator(s)

  • Eric James Kezirian, MD, MPH

    Professor, Head and Neck Surgery
    David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
    Santa Monica, CA, United States

    • Panelist(s)

  • Katherine K. Green, MD, MS

    Medical Director, Sleep Center at the University of Colorado
    Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine
    Aurora, CO, United States

  • Phillip A. Huyett, MD

    Director of Sleep Surgery
    Massachusetts Eye and Ear
    Boston, MA, United States

Disclosure(s):
Eric James Kezirian, MD, MPH: No relevant relationships to disclose.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea can offer tremendous benefits for many patients. However, outcomes are far from perfect, both for more-traditional surgical techniques (palate surgery and hypopharyngeal surgery) and for hypoglossal nerve stimulation. Understanding factors associated with surgical outcomes and the mechanisms underlying surgical failures can improve procedure selection and patient selection, offering potential significant improvements in surgical outcomes.
This session will examine the current knowledge and future directions in this area. We will explore findings from awake physical examination (tonsil size, palate shape, fiberoptic endoscopy) and drug-induced sleep endoscopy, patient behaviors (nasal vs. oral breathing, body position), and endotypic traits (including ventilatory control, arousal threshold, and muscle responsiveness).

OUTCOME OBJECTIVE 1: To improve utilization of awake examination findings (especially tonsil size and palate shape) in guiding procedure selection and predicting surgical outcomes

OUTCOME OBJECTIVE 2: To understand the role of drug-induced sleep endoscopy in procedure selection and patient selection

OUTCOME OBJECTIVE 3: To learn more about endotypic traits, current knowledge regarding their association with outcomes of anatomic treatments (surgery, oral appliances), and potential medication treatment of obstructive sleep apnea

BACKGROUND STATEMENT: There is a clear need for examination of the failure of surgical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. This has not been addressed broadly in sessions at major scientific conferences, including the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting.