DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA

AbstractObstructive sleep apnea is a condition caused by either complete occlusion (apnea) or partial collapse (hypopnea) of upper airway despite the presence of simultaneous respiratory effort.The pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea is complex and incompletely understood, but upper airway obstruction appears to be the net result of an inability of upper airway dilating muscles to maintain a patent oropharyngeal airway during sleepImportant aspects of the examination in patient’s obstructive sleep apnea includes ; general appearance, weight, craniofacial morphology, nasal airway, tongue size, soft palate and uvula.Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea may be non0surgical or surgical.Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the first choice in the non-surgical treatment.Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is the first choice in the surgical treatment, which aim to correct the anatomic abnormalities of obstructive sleep apnea patients.