Surgical Treatment Options For Sleep Apnea in Chicago

Genioglossus Surgery South Loop, Orland Park, Oak Lawn, & Midway

Uvulectomy

The uvula is a piece of dangling soft tissue found above the back of your tongue. It can contribute to snoring, especially in patients with elongated, large, or tapered uvulas. While sleeping, breathing may cause the uvula to vibrate, creating snoring.

A uvulectomy is a procedure our doctors may recommend if you are a candidate. Candidates for uvulectomy are those whose snoring problems can be traced to the uvula. During the procedure, the surgeon will perform coblation therapy, which is similar to traditional laser surgery but requires a much lower temperature. Radiofrequency energy is delivered to the uvula to gently remove the excess tissue, and open up the oral airway.

Coblation therapy for uvulectomy is performed in-office using local anesthesia and usually takes less than 20 minutes. The noninvasive nature of the surgery ensures it produces minimal damage to surrounding cells, and most patients leave with minor discomfort. Normal activities can generally be resumed shortly after surgery.

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Maxillo-Mandibular Advancement

Is a surgical procedure or Sleep Surgery that moves the upper jaw (maxilla) and the lower jaw (mandible) forward. The procedure was first used to correct deformities of the facial skeleton to include malocclusion. In the late 1970s advancement of the lower jaw (mandibular advancement) was noted to improve sleepiness in three patients

Septoplasty/Turbinoplasty

A woman suffering from sinus pain

A deviated septum is one of the most common reasons to have non-cosmetic nasal surgery. Your septum can be crooked and may result in a smaller nasal passage on one side or the other, or even both. In a normal nose, the mucosal lining swells and retracts many times a day. With a deviated septum, one may have difficulty breathing from either side of the nose. It is usually from the already small passageway being blocked further from the swollen mucosal lining. Sometimes, the blockage can occur when there is additional cartilage, bone or mucosal tissue.

This difficulty in breathing through the nose could be corrected through a Septoplasty. Many people breathe loudly and others think their noses are stuffed, but in fact they suffer from a deviated septum and when their tissues naturally swell, the side with the deviation is even more restricted.

A Septoplasty is a surgical procedure to straighten a deviated or crooked septum to improve breathing, function, and minimize possible sinus infections, creating greater comfort for the patient. A septoplasty is almost always performed with no visible incision and normally takes about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. If the Septoplasty is being performed in conjunction with a Rhinoplasty, there may be additional, visible incisions and may take about an additional hour or more for difficult cases.

A Deviated Septum is by far the most common reason for non-cosmetic nasal surgery. Your Septum can be crooked and result in a smaller nasal passage on one side or the other, or even both sides! The mucosal lining of the nasal passages normally swell and retract several times during the day. If someone with a severe or a minor deviated septum experiences difficulty breathing, it is usually from the already small passageway being blocked further from the swollen mucosal lining. It is amazing that many people who go through their entire lives may never know that their difficulty breathing through the nose could be corrected through a Septoplasty!