Remove Obstructions Blocking Your Airway: Soft Palate and Uvula Surgery (UPPP)
Put an end to sagging palate and enlarged uvula tissues that obstruct your breathing and cause severe snoring with a permanent intervention. With UPPP (Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty) surgery, we reshape and tighten these tissues that block your airway like a plug, giving you back that quality sleep where you wake up feeling refreshed, rested, and energetic every morning.
What is UPPP Surgery and Why is it Performed?
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is the most frequently performed and proven surgical method worldwide for the treatment of sleep apnea (OSAS) and severe snoring. Over time, due to factors such as gravity, aging, genetics, or weight gain, the soft palate sags and the uvula (small tongue) lengthens and thickens. When the muscles relax during sleep, these heavy tissues completely block the entrance to the airway (throat). In UPPP surgery, the elongated uvula is shortened to its ideal size, the sagging soft palate tissue is reshaped and lifted upwards using special suturing techniques, and the airway to the trachea is widened. If the tonsils are also enlarged and causing obstruction, they are removed in the same procedure, providing complete relief at the throat junction.
- Those diagnosed with sleep apnea (OSAS) and whose obstruction level is in the palate/uvula region.
- Those whose severe and loud snoring is too advanced to be resolved with simple procedures like radiofrequency.
- Patients who have difficulty using CPAP (sleep mask), experience a feeling of suffocation, or wish to be completely weaned off the device.
- People whose uvula is much longer than normal, causing a feeling of something stuck in their throat or a gagging sensation when swallowing.
- Adult patients with excessively large tonsils accompanied by a sagging palate.
The right tension is the key to perfect breathing and quality sleep.
UPPP surgery is one of the most delicate and demanding surgeries in ENT medicine, requiring a thorough understanding of anatomical limitations. At Dr. Nurten Küçük, my fundamental philosophy in this surgery is not to completely cut away (destructive) the tissue, but to restore its correct anatomical function (reconstructive). Because completely removing the uvula or excessively cutting the palate can lead to swallowing problems in the future, I only reduce the tissues to their ideal size and lift the sagging palate upwards using special suspension techniques. Thanks to this millimeter-precise reshaping, my patients not only stop snoring but also receive the oxygen they so desperately need safely and uninterruptedly.
Comprehensive Assessment
Before surgery, sleep tests (polysomnography) and camera-assisted examinations are used to confirm the degree of obstruction and its exact location in the palate region, and to determine the surgical margins.
UPPP and Reshaping
The procedure is performed in a fully equipped operating room under general anesthesia. The elongated uvula is shortened, the palate is stretched, and if necessary, the tonsils are removed to widen the airway.
Recovery and Follow-up
Patients usually stay in the hospital for one night after the surgery. Following approximately 10-14 days of swallowing sensitivity and a soft diet (cold foods), the permanent relief that lasts a lifetime is achieved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my voice change after the surgery, will I speak like a different person?
No, UPPP surgery is not an intervention on your vocal cords; it does not permanently change the basic tone or character of your voice. There may only be a temporary "nasal or hoarse speech" due to tissue swelling (edema) during the post-operative recovery process (first 2 weeks). As the tissue heals, your voice will return completely to its natural state.
Is it possible to get water in my nose or have difficulty swallowing when drinking after the surgery?
When performed by experienced hands and using current surgical techniques, the soft palate is not excessively cut, only stretched, and the uvula is not completely removed. Thanks to this conservative approach, swallowing function is preserved. In the first few weeks after surgery, a feeling of fluids regurgitating into the throat may rarely occur as the muscles adjust to their new tension, but this quickly disappears as the tissue heals.
Is the recovery process very painful, and when can I return to work?
Because the palate and throat are areas we constantly move while swallowing, it's expected to experience sore throat and ear pain (similar to tonsil surgery) during swallowing, especially in the first week. Strong painkillers and a "cold-soft" diet including ice cream, cold soup, and yogurt are very soothing during this period. Most of our patients are able to return to normal speech and desk work within 7 to 10 days.
Bu ameliyat horlamayı kesin olarak (%100) bitirir mi?
Eğer horlamanın ve apnenin tek nedeni damak/küçük dil sarkmasıysa, başarı oranı son derece yüksektir (%80-90 oranında horlama biter veya çok hafifler). Ancak hastanın aşırı kilosu varsa, dil kökü çok büyükse veya ameliyat sonrası hızla kilo almaya devam ederse, zamanla boğaz çevresi tekrar yağlanıp daralacağı için horlama geri dönebilir. Ameliyat sonrası kilo kontrolü, bu tedavinin kalıcılığı için en önemli kuraldır.
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For an initial consultation, examination, and personalized treatment plan, please contact us immediately.