What is
Uvulectomy?
Excision of the uvula. Also called staphylectomy.
Uvulectomy is a common practice in eastern
Africa for treatment of a variety of throat
conditions. Uvulectomy is a traditional
surgery performed on infants and children
throughout Africa and in some middle Eastern
countries. It is done as a traditional
treatment to prevent throat infections and
normally is done early in infancy or the
first or second year of life. It may be done
by traditional healers or by laypersons who
are often barbers by profession. The
procedure results in partial or complete
removal of the uvula. A notch or cleft in
the soft palate can be found in more extreme
forms with changes in the symmetry of the
arches of the palate.
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Effects
of Uvulectomy
A patient with a large uvula who snores and has few or no
symptoms of apnea may benefit from
uvulectomy.
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Candidates
for Uvulectomy
If you have an enlarged or elongated uvula (the “bell” at the
back of the throat), you may be a candidate
for a uvulectomy to reduce your snoring. A
common source of snoring is from the
fluttering of the soft palate (the soft part
of the top of the mouth) as well as the
uvula.
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Your
Consultation
Most patients with sleep apnea are
overweight and have short, thick necks.
Increasing neck circumference is linearly
related to the probability of OSA.
Examination of the oropharynx often reveals
a large uvula, a small oropharyngeal
opening, a large tongue, and prominent
oropharyngeal folds. Direct fiberoptic
examination or indirect mirror examination
may reveal a mass or tumor in the upper
airway or possible deviation of the nasal
septum
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The Uvulectomy
Procedure
The patient can be given local anesthesia,
and uvulectomy can be performed as an office
procedure by using cautery or a carbon
dioxide laser. In 1993, laser-assisted
uvulopalatoplasty was first described as a
procedure for individuals who snore and have
mild OSA. The procedure consists of incising
the inferior rim of the soft palate and
uvula. The tonsils are not removed.
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Recovery
A person usually does not miss having the
uvula. However, there is a period of one to
two weeks of discomfort in the throat after
the procedure. Some people require strong
pain medications for several days, whereas
others need only
acetaminophen or an
over-the-counter equivalent. Most people
describe the pain as similar to a bad viral
sore throat that is worst when
swallowing.
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Risks
You have the right to be informed that the
surgery may involve risks of unsuccessful
results, complications, or injury from both
known and unforeseen causes. Because
individuals vary in their tissue circulation
and healing processes, as well as anesthetic
reactions, ultimately there can be no
guarantee made as to the results or
potential complications. The following
complications have been reported in the
medical literature. This list is not meant
to be inclusive of every possible
complication. They are listed here for your
information only, not to frighten you, but
to make you aware and more knowledgeable
concerning this surgical procedure.
1. Failure to resolve the snoring. Most
surgeons feel that about 85% of patients who
undergo a LAUP will have a significant or
complete resolution in their snoring; and an
additional percentage of patients will
notice reduced levels of snoring such that
their sleep partners will report that it's
level is no longer offensive.
2. Failure to cure sleep apnea or other
pathological sleep disorders. Pathological
sleep disorders, like sleep apnea, are
medical problems which may have associated
serious complications. At this time, the
LAUP procedure has not been proven to cure
these disorders.
3. Bleeding. In very rare situations, a need
for blood products or a blood transfusion.
You have the right, should you choose, to
have autologous or designated donor directed
blood pre-arranged. You are encouraged to
consult with your doctor if you are
interested.
4. Nasal regurgitation, a change in voice,
or velopharyngeal insufficiency when liquids
may flow into the nasal cavity during
swallowing (rare).
5. Failure to resolve coexisting sinus,
tonsil, or nasal problems.
6. Need for revision, or further and more
aggressive surgery.
7. Prolonged pain, impaired healing, and the
need for hospitalization.
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Frequently Asked
Questions
Q: What is Uvulectomy?
A:
Uvulectomy is the removal of the uvula.
This can easily be performed under local
anesthesia in the doctor’s office.
Q: Are there risks involved in Uvulectomy?
A:
The main risks of uvulectomy are pain,
bleeding, and altered speech (if you speak a
language with guttural fricatives like
Hebrew or Farsi).
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