Surgical Treatments

There are many types of surgeries to treat OSA. These include:

• Jaw surgery: Your surgeon moves your jaw forward to make your airway larger so it’s easier to breathe.
• Mouth, throat and windpipe surgeries: In upper airway surgery, your surgeon removes or shrinks part of your tonsils, uvula and soft palate. A tonsillectomy removes your tonsils and is the standard treatment for children with OSA.
• Nasal surgeries: Various nasal surgeries remove blockages to help you breathe easier. Your specific surgery depends on what’s causing your blockage.
• Nerve stimulation: Upper airway stimulation involves inserting a device in your chest that attaches to a nerve to stimulate your tongue. This makes your tongue move forward to open your airway.
• Tongue surgeries: Different tongue surgeries can help remove blockages to open your airway.
• Weight loss surgery: Weight loss surgery doesn’t directly treat sleep apnea, but some people with OSA have obesity. Losing weight can reduce the severity of OSA. Emory Sleep Center often refers patients with sleep disorders for weight loss evaluation at Emory Bariatric Center.

The type of surgery you have depends on the cause of your sleep apnea. Sometimes, you may have more than one type of surgery at the same time. Your doctor will recommend what’s best for you.