Benha M. J.
Vol. 19 No 3 Sept. 2002
EVALUATION OF SURGICAL PROCEDURES IN MANAGEMENT OF OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA SYNDROME (OSAS)
Ahmed Ashraf S. El-Hamshary MD,
Hussam M. Abdul Azeem MD, Ahmed S. El-Kady MD
and Ahmed Hussein Ahmed MD
Otorhinolaryngology Department, Benha Faculty of Medicine, Egypt
Abstract
In this study we are aiming to evaluate the use of low cost modalities of investigation and surgery in the management of OSAS. Our study in¬cluded 50 patients arranged in two age groups (25 in each group). Group I included patients (below 12 years old) suffering OSAS due to enlarge¬ment of adenoids and/or tonsils and surgically treated by adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy. Group II included patients (above 20 years old) suf¬fering OSAS due to narrowing at the level of velopharyngeal sphincter and surgically treated by uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). We used. Relatively, low cost test battery for patient assessment consisting of over¬night pulse oximetry, Forced expiratory Volume in the First second (FEVi), Arterial Blood Gases (ABGs) and radiological investigation. Cross section¬al area was obtained from axial CT at C2 vertebra in group II. Our results show significant improvement in all parameters of the test battery. This improvement is correlated with the improvement in apnea index. Also we found the study of the cross sectional area is effective in evaluation of OSAS patient. We can conclude that adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy in children as well as UPPP in adults is effective in management of ob¬structive sleep apnea. The surgical procedures give favorable results, es¬pecially in the mild and moderate grades. We recommend the use of our test battery for investigation and follow up of patients with OSAS. Further researches are needed to increase the sensitivity and specificity of this low cost battery.