EVALUATION OF PATIENTS WITH OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA SYNDROME UNDERGOING FUNCTIONAL EXPANSION PHARYNGOPLASTY, IN A HOSPITAL IN CURITIBA

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) has been increasingly recognized as a high prevalence condition and an independent risk factor for cardiac, metabolic, neurological, and perioperative morbidities, as well as erectile dysfunction, and traffic accidents, with non-standard surgical treatments and controversial results that do not seem to keep pace with the promising findings in the pathophysiology of the disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of the Functional Expansion Pharyngoplasty technique in a group of patients with OSAS and small palatine tonsils. Preoperative and postoperative anthropometric and polysomnographic data from the medical records of 13 patients, of both sexes, in a renowned hospital in Curitiba (Brazil), were retrospectively analyzed. The 50% improvement in AHI (Apnea Hypopnea Index) and/or AHI below 20/h (Sher’s criteria) were considered surgical success. As a result, 84.6% of the patients achieved a significant AHI reduction (p=0.005), with 76.9% Sher’s success rate, and an also significant sleep time reduction, with oxyhemoglobin saturation below 90% (p=0.018). It can be concluded that the Functional Expansion Pharyngoplasty technique seems to be an effective alternative for the surgical treatment of patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome with small palatine tonsils.