Objectives: The aim of this study is to explore the efficiency of lateral pharyngoplasty as a new treatment for obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) versus uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. Study design: Prospective randomized study. Patients and methods: This study was submitted on 30 patients diagnosed to have OSAHS with retropalatal obstruction classified randomly into 2 groups: in one group, we performed the lateral pharyngoplasty (15 cases) with blunt palatal tunneling, and in the other, we did the uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (15 cases). We compared the efficiency of surgeries subjectively through the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and objectively through clinical and polysomnographic findings. Results: In the lateral pharyngoplasty; the mean AHI improved from 40.95±28.50 to 8.92±7.9 (P