Modified Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty with Tonsillectomy in Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a common problem with many long-term consequences if left untreated. The purpose of this study is to find the efficacy of modified uvulopalatopharyngoplasty with tonsillectomy in the treatment of OSA symptoms, apnoea-hypopnoea index, Epworth sleepiness scale and its effect on blood pressure and cardiac status. Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea with apnoea-hypopnoea index more than 15 with tonsillar hypertrophy, Friedman stage < 3 and palatal collapse or obstruction at the level of velum as diagnosed by DISE were included in this prospective analytical cross-sectional study. Modified uvulopalatopharyngoplasty with tonsillectomy was done in all patients. History of nocturnal and daytime OSA symptoms, Epworth sleepiness scale, snoring score, polysomnogram, drug induced sleep endoscopy, blood pressure, echocardiogram to measure velocity across pulmonary and aortic valve and ECG were taken preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. A total of 129 participants were recruited. 82 of the 129 patients (63.5%) were men; mean (SD) age was 44.2 (6.78) years. The patients were post operatively classified as responders and non-responders by the DISE finding. 107 patients (82.9%)—responders, had no narrowing and 22 patients (17.1%)—non-responders, had persistent narrowing of velum. Non-responders had increased baseline BMI when compared to responders. All the parameters were statistically improved in responders (p < 0.001). In non-responders, there was no statistical improvement in any of the parameters. Modified uvulopalatopharyngoplasty provides significant improvement in sleep parameters like AHI, Epworth sleepiness scale and other polysomnographic parameters. It significantly reduces the cardiac burden in OSA patients without any complications. Trial registration www.ctri.nic.in identifier: CTRI/2020/06/025759