Center for Advanced Subspecialty Care and Otolaryngolgy providing otolaryngology services for Plymouth County and surrounding southeastern Massachusetts.

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is an operation used to improve certain sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. Because there may be several causes occurring at the same time, this procedure may only give partial relief depending on the relative importance of the palate, and the uvula size in the overall disease process. The success rate of treating apnea cases has been reported to be greater than 50%, and the expectation for snoring improvement may be greater than 80%. The most common complications include bleeding after surgery, infection, and temporary airway obstruction due to postoperative swelling. Occasionally patients with severe obstruction, or added risk due to obesity, may require temporary tracheostomy. Some patients also have complaints due to an inability of a shortened palate to make contact with the back of the throat. This may cause some nasal regurgitation, and a hypo nasal or hollow-sounding voice. This is usually a temporary phenomenon experienced during the first few days after surgery. The opposite effect however, may be due to narrowing of the space behind the nose called the nasopharynx. This is even less likely. However, long-term problems with severe stenosis of the nasopharynx following uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, may require further surgery, and be difficult to correct. Scarring in the pharynx, as in other parts of the body, is not always completely predictable, and although these types of adverse results following surgery are very rare, they certainly can occur. As a general rule, the more carefully patients with sleep disorders are studied and selected, the greater likelihood of improvement after UPPP.

Following your palatal surgery, you may eventually experience some pain from the operative site. Usually a gargle composed of Lidocaine, Mylanta, and Benadryl will be prescribed, and you can use this as a mouth rinse every 2-4 hours should you experience any discomfort. This rinse can then be expectorated. Also, oral narcotics will be available for you to take for pain.

You should try to sleep with your head elevated the first few nights in a humidified environment.

A full liquid diet, consisting of popsicles and cool foods would be beneficial, and help reduce the swelling as well. Try to stay away from any citrus juices or spicy foods which would irritate the wound.

You should remain ambulatory during most of the day postoperatively. Try to take a walk the second or third postoperative day. Do no lie around in bed, and make sure you take adequate deep breaths to keep your lungs clear, especially during the day.

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