Can You Fix Snoring with Surgery?

Snoring is a sound created by the vibration of tissues in the throat during sleep, and it can be treated using a number of options. Many of these are conservative options, including weight loss, changes to sleep habits or avoidance of alcohol.

In rare and severe cases where other treatments have failed to correct snoring, there are a few surgical methods available that may be effective.

Why is it Done?

Surgery for snoring is generally used to accomplish one of the following:

• Remove excess soft tissue from the throat, widening the upper airway. In some cases, this involves removing the tonsils and adenoids, along with other tissues in the back of the throat.
• Correct an abnormally shaped wall between the nostrils or remove nasal polyps that block airflow in the nose.
• Change the position of the bony structures in the upper airway, which allows air to flow more freely, particularly while sleeping. In some cases, more than one surgery will be required.
• Implant plastic cylinders in the soft palate (back section of the roof of the mouth) to stiffen it and prevent it from vibrating, which can reduce snoring.

Types of Surgery

There are a few types and classifications for surgeries that may be performed to correct snoring:

• Nasal septoplasty: A process that repairs and straightens the bone and tissues that separate the two passages in the nose (called the septum). If a nasal deformity is interfering with breathing and causing the snoring, this is the procedure that is done.
• Soft palate surgery: The soft palate is often the structure vibrating in the mouth and causing snoring, and there are multiple procedures that help correct this. These include the Pillar Procedure (implants into the soft palate), soft palate radiofrequency (controlled cauterization of radiofrequency designed to create scar tissue to stiffen the soft palate), and others that involve the removal of small tissues.
• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty: This is a removal of excess tissue in the throat, which widens the airway and leads to smoother airflow.
• Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty: Using a laser to remove excess tissue in the throat.
• Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy: For people who have enlarged tonsils and adenoids that are blocking the airway during sleep, these procedures might be used.
• Nasal polypectomy: A procedure to remove soft, round tissues (called polyps) that can project into the nasal passages and contribute to snoring.

Our specialists have received extensive training and completed a variety of procedures, offering the best ENT care for our patients. As a part of the Revere Health system, our ENT doctors also have access to a variety of specialties to ensure that patients receive coordinated care.

Considerations

Surgery is a rare choice for snoring, and there is no guarantee that it will fully cure snoring. Surgery does come with risks you should discuss with your surgeon or doctor, and for many people these risks do not outweigh the potential benefit of the surgery. In addition, because snoring is not always considered a medical problem, insurance may not cover surgical treatment to correct it.

If you’re dealing with severe snoring, speak to your doctor about whether surgery might be an option for you.

Sources:

“Snoring – Surgery.” WebMD. http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/snoring-surgery

“Surgery Options for Snoring.” American Sleep Association. https://www.sleepassociation.org/surgery-options-snoring/