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Re: Tongue Suspension

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Posted by Frank on September 09, 2000 at 19:46:56:

In Reply to: Tongue Suspension posted by John in Mt on September 08, 2000 at 08:07:35:

I truly do not know just exactly how good my information is, but. If you are considering this procedure, you must be convinced that the root of your problem is your tongue blocking your airway as opposed to those who could be helped by a UPPP. As a similiar sufferer, and having made the rounds of 8 or 9 specialists, I have been advised that; a tongue suspension rarely works by itself. It is reversable. It is usually done in conjunction with a hyoid suspension. The net effect of these procedures is to move the tongue forward, and to keep it from falling into the airway. Then come the dentists. An oral device accomplishes the same thing without surgery. They do have their side effects, usually centered about the tmj joint. The thing that the dentists claim, and several surgeons have agreed with is that if an oral device dosen't, then NONE of the surgeries will work. That includes all of the jaw breaking surgeries that move the tongue forward. If this is true, I can't imagine why anyone would even be considered for surgery without first trying a dental device. There is no doubt that some folks may not tolerate a dental device, but that dosen't preclude them trying one to get an indication of how much they would benefit from surgery. The fact seems to be that all of the surgeries have dismal success rates, something in the order of 10 to 20 %. The only surgery that is 100% guarenteed to cure OSA is the trache. It is relatively benign so long as a stoma button is used, and it is reverseable. Finally, the one thing that on the surface is perfect, a tongue somnoplasty introduces irreversable scar tissue into an extraordinarily important muscle, and no one knows the long term effect of that.

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