Sleep Apnea and Snoring Surgeries

Balloon Sinuplasty

In office procedure that enable the sinuses to be located, cannulated and opened without the need for traditional cutting surgery, This technique can be done under local anesthesia or combined with other nasal procedures both under local anesthesia or General anesthesia.

Septoplasty and Turbinate Reduction

This procedure is to straighten the midline of the nose – septum or the vertical divider of the nose. It is usually the cartilage part that needs reshaping or it can be combined with re shaping the nose (septorhinoplasty) or decreasing the size to the filer membranes (turbinates). The Septoplasty and turbinate surgery can be performed under local and/or general anesthesia.

Nasal Valve Collapse

This is the nostril and tip of the nose that collapses with breathing in. Nasal valve collapse is a serious problem that often occurs in combination with a deviated septum.

Excellent correction can be done using the patient’s own cartilage or small implants known as Spirox latera implants.

Eustachian Tube Popping or Pressure

This condition occurs when the small tube that connects the nose to the ears either collapses giving pain with elevation change, or continuous popping of the ears. Treatment involves the sinus balloon catheter placed in the nose to open the eustachian tube. Excellent results have been achieved.

Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

This procedure involves inserting a small fiber optic telescope through the nasal openings into the sinuses. The small openings are enlarged yet diseased tissue such as polyps are removed to open the sinus drainage pathways. The process restores the natural breathing pathways and relieves pain and pressure caused by sinusitis. Endoscopic sinus surgery is usually done under anesthesia using state-of-the-art CT guided navigation to enhance accuracy and maintain safety. Patients with severe sinus disease are candidates and this is often combined with septal deviation surgery to open the nasal passages. SINUS CENTER LA prides itself that packing is rarely places in the post-operative period due the accuracy of the instrumentation and placement of fine dissolving sutures.

Genioglossus Advancement

The tongue can fall back acting as a ‘ball valve’ on the throat. During this procedure, the front part of the jaw is advanced, a small metal plate applied that results in the patient’s tongue muscle permanently repositioned forward to expand and stabilize the natural airway. This prevents the tongue from obstructing the breathing pathway while the patient sleeps.

Hyoid Suspension

Similar to genioglossus advancement, this procedure is aimed at expanding the airway to prevent it from being obstructed. The hyoid bone in the neck will be anchored to the thyroid cartilage (“Adam’s apple”) to move the tongue and other soft tissues surrounding the throat forward.

Palatopharyngoplasty

When reduction procedures do not work, this surgery, which removes the uvula and excess soft tissue in the palate or throat, can be used to prevent breathing obstructions by enlarging the airway.

Today this is usually limited to the uvula and mainly for a ‘floppy palate’ that results in excessive snoring.

Tonsillectomy / Adenoidectomy

This procedure is used to remove enlarged tonsils in order to open up airways and provide relief from snoring and sleep apnea. This is common in children with enlarged adenoids and tonsils. Conditions such as hyperactivity, bedwetting, fatigue and snoring in children should be evaluated for obstructive adenoids and tonsils. Studies have shown that removing tonsils and adenoids has no adverse effect on an individual’s immune system. In particular, bacteria such as streptococcus can colonize the tonsils and adenoids creating chronic illness and a ‘strep carrier status’. Effective treatment is the removal of the tonsils and adenoids.