Laser Uvuloplasty in the Therapy of Primary Ronchopathy

Overview

Laser assisted uvuloplasty (LAUP) is one of the most frequent interventions forprimary snoring. The aim of paper is to evaluate the results and side effects of own modification ofthis operation.Questionnaires of 49 patients were evaluated retrospectively 6 to 26months after the operation. Theeffect of the intervention on snoring was evaluated by visual assessment score (VAS) from 0 (nosnoring) to 5 (asocial snoring). The average value of VAS before operation was 4.1,while after it was1.93. Snoring was improved in 84 % of patients. The average improvement was 2.27, which is lessthan half of the VAS range. Postoperative pain was described as mild in 22%. Majority of patients(53%) reported pain for up 7 or 10 days. More than half (55%) of the patients experienced newsensation in the neck after operation, 12% described it as agreeable, 43% as unpleasant. Globus wasthe most frequent unpleasant symptom. In 16% of patients these symptoms persist for more than 6months after the operation. Only half of the patients would decide to be operated on again whenhaving the experience with operation and postoperative course. The reasons for not deciding foroperation was the lack of benefit (improvement of VAS 0.45 in this subgroup) and postoperative pain(VAS improvement 2.8). Among patients decided for LAUP having the experience were two thirdsof patients with persisting symptoms in the neck.LAUP is effective in 84% of patients with primary ronchopaty. Postoperative pain represents themost important discomfort for majority of patients. Unpleasant feelings persist in 16% of patientsand are mostly not important.

Key words:
snoring, surgery, LAUP, visual assessment score, postoperative pain.