Do Sleep Apnoea Patients Need Special Care After Surgery?

surgery doorSleep apnoea can lead to a lot of unpleasant signs and symptoms such as loud snoring, chocking, gasping, increased daytime sleepiness, sore throat, headaches, restlessness, insomnia, frequent urination and other problems. This is why sleep apnoea needs to be treated as soon as possible. If minimally invasive treatments do not work for you, you may be a candidate for surgery. Surgery often increases the size of the airways thus stopping sleep apnoea episodes. The doctor may also remove obstructing structures such as tonsils, adenoids or excess tissue. However, is surgery for sleep apnoea safe?

Experts say that one factor we have to consider are the medical problems brought about by long-term sleep apnoea, which can affect the post-operative patient. Sleep apnoea can give rise to complications such as lung and breathing problems after surgery. This may be due to the fact that sleep apnoea can bring about pauses in breathing during sleep, thus leading to hypoxemia. Other patients who may need special care are those who are diabetics or with cardiovascular illnesses exacerbated by sleep apnoea.

Another factor which may determine risk after sleep apnoea surgery is the type of anesthesia used. Regional anesthesia (anesthesia that affects one area of the body) may be favorable over general anesthesia (anesthesia that makes you unconscious).  

Indeed further research is needed to answer the question on who needs special care after sleep apnoea surgery. Research on this matter is badly needed so that doctors will know what type of patients need extra care after surgery and what type of patients they should closely monitor.

More of this matter is written in an article published in the June 20 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

For more information, please click on this link:

http://www.livescience.com/37575-sleep-apnoea-surgery-complications.html

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Somnowell Inventor - Visiting Professor Simon Ash FDS MSc MOrth BDS

Prof. Ash is the inventor of the highly successful SOMNOWELL Chrome device for snoring and sleep apnoea.

The Somnowell Chrome is made to exacting standards in the Somnowell laboratory under the supervision of Visiting Professor Simon Ash. Prof. Ash and his master technicians create each Somnowell Chrome device using their wealth of experience and expertise.

Prof. Ash works at the forefront of his profession. He is a Consultant and Specialist Orthodontist with over 30 years clinical experience, with a special interest in sleep related breathing disorders, TMJD, and bruxism. He currently works in Harley Street London and two private hospitals in London as part of a multi-disciplinary team managing snoring and sleep apnoea, and is Visiting Professor of Orthodontics at the BPP University.