The palatopharyngoplasty operation for snoring and sleep apnea: an interim report.

We performed palatopharyngoplasty operations on 155 patients as of June 1, 1983, and have 4-month clinical follow-ups on 123 patients. Forty-nine have had repeat polysomnograms (through September 1983) that continue to show the operation is about 50% effective in curing or considerably improving obstructive sleep apnea. Symptomatic (clinical) results in these same patients are much better than 50% and may be the reason why we have had considerable difficulty in obtaining sleep study follow-ups. Snoring was eliminated or much improved in 93% of all patients and 95% of patients without serious obstructive sleep apnea. Daytime symptoms, if any, were improved in 64%. Some form of preoperative sleep study is mandatory in all patients. Two thirds of patients who present with the complaint of snoring and none of the classic symptoms of apnea actually do have total airway obstructions during sleep.