uvula removal

[andy5805]

hi

has anyone had the flappy bit at the back of the mouth removed surgically to stop snoring ? perhaps this was because the tongue base was really close to it or because of a very high thin arch?

I've thought about it but won't be doing it any time soon - does this stop snoring as it seems to me the uvula was put on this earth for snoring

cheers

[Pugsy]

What if the snoring wasn't from the uvula? What if it was simply the collapse of the airway tissues or little bit of the tongue below the back of the mouth just a little?
Google UPPP surgery...not something I would want to do at all. Success rate isn't all that high and even when there is some measure of success it is typically short lived...like around 5 years or so.

Only thing I would ever remove or cut on to trim from the back of my throat or mouth would be enlarged tonsils that were subject to frequent infections. Mine are atrophied to the point that it looks like they were removed but never were.

[avi123]

My neighbor across the street had it removed a decade ago and it does not help to stop snoring and having sleep apneas.

Function in speech

The uvula plays a role in the articulation of some sounds of the human voice. The uvula functions in tandem with the back of the throat, the palate, and air coming up from the lungs to create a number of guttural and other sounds. Uvular consonants are not found in English, though they are found in many Semitic, Caucasian, and Turkic languages, as well as several languages of Western Europe such as German, French, Portuguese, a few Celtic languages as well as some dialects of the Swedish language. Certain African languages such as the Khoisan languages use the uvula to produce click consonants as well, though other than that, uvular consonants are fairly uncommon in Sub-Saharan Africa.

I use my uvula when I pronounce CH in Hebrew. If you go to Israel and say a few words there they would immediately catch you as an Anglo Saxon, unless you practiced how to do it. Without my Uvula I could not pronounce such important names and verbs as:

Beit Lechem
Chana-name of my sister's granddaughter
Noach- Noah
Chakham-wise, as I am
Chanuka-Hannukah holiday
Brakha-Blessing

[chunkyfrog]

Just because a surgeon can cut it out; is that a good reason to get rid of it?
It makes me think of the proverbial low-hanging fruit.
Lazy surgeon--doing something useless and harmful, because it's easy and profitable.

[nanwilson]

My Mom had hers removed and afterwards she said it was the worse decision she ever made.

[Janknitz]

From what I understand, it's pretty painful in the aftermath, and you are likely to have life long issues with swallowing, without ANY guarantee it will affect apnea and the need for a machine.

Think of it in terms of an amputation of the uvula. It's there for a reason--you might want to be sure you understand the function of the uvula before you go letting anyone cut it out.

Still want it???

[andy5805]

I'm on the fence to be honest because I've read a lot of adverse things - but I do know it's instrumental in snoring

I've had success last week with a machine, bit of an issue this week, I aim to see the machine route through first!

Has anyone had a positive experience sans uvula? ?

[chunkyfrog]

I am of the thought that the most common connection between the uvula and snoring is that snoring may irritate and inflame the uvula.
In this case, amputation would be trying to remove the symptom, instead of solving the CAUSE.

[andy5805]

I am of the thought that the most common connection between the uvula and snoring is that snoring may irritate and inflame the uvula.
In this case, amputation would be trying to remove the symptom, instead of solving the CAUSE.

Certainly off the machine (until very recently) I tended to cycle - have a good week at work then a bad week at work due to no sleep -, my partner ( doesn't suffer from OSA at all) remarked on how it seemed to be up/down and some of those bad weeks were stress free - so I can't help thinking you're right in as much as the experience I had can be explained by it - my uvula seemed to get inflamed, cause me real difficulty sleeping, then heal, because we are hard wired to heal, then get snored on enough times to get inflamed again, and round and round we go etc. ....

[Janknitz]

Sorry, I didn't connect this post to your other one.

Are you familiar with the 5 stages of grief (Kubler-Ross)?

I suspect you are still going through your grief stages adjusting to CPAP. This is part of the bargaining stage. "If I have surgery, my apnea will go away." We've all been there. There is REAL grief because of this diagnosis and all it means. All I can advise right now is don't make any hasty decisions.

This is NOT the time to decide you want to have this serious surgery, particularly since your chances of really and permanently getting off CPAP with that surgery (sorry to burst your bubble) may not be great. A surgeon might tell you that there is a "50% success rate". What does the surgeon mean? The surgeon does NOT mean a 50% chance of getting off CPAP. What the surgeon means is a 50% chance of needing less CPAP pressure to keep the airway open. For SOME people, that might mean getting off CPAP (until weight gain or scar tissue from the uvula removal cause you to need it again), for most people, it will simply be a reduction in pressure if anything at all. That's a lot of pain and trouble to go through to find yourself STILL on CPAP.

Without a uvula you can't seal off the passage way between the mouth and nose. It can make swallowing difficult, and sometimes you might regurgitate through the nose. It will be harder to seal off air going to your stomach if you still need CPAP, adding to the misery. And, as pointed out, certain guttural sounds may be difficult to make in talking.

Even if you think that all that is worth it, I urge you to wait a month or two, or even 3. You may find it difficult to adjust to CPAP, but once you do, you may realize how great you feel and how worth it is to persist. The surgery to remove the uvula is still going to be available any time down the road, but meanwhile you have to buckle down and give it everything you have to adjust to CPAP first.

[andy5805]

Sorry, I didn't connect this post to your other one.

Are you familiar with the 5 stages of grief (Kubler-Ross)?

I suspect you are still going through your grief stages adjusting to CPAP. This is part of the bargaining stage. "If I have surgery, my apnea will go away." We've all been there. There is REAL grief because of this diagnosis and all it means. All I can advise right now is don't make any hasty decisions.

This is NOT the time to decide you want to have this serious surgery, particularly since your chances of really and permanently getting off CPAP with that surgery (sorry to burst your bubble) may not be great. A surgeon might tell you that there is a "50% success rate". What does the surgeon mean? The surgeon does NOT mean a 50% chance of getting off CPAP. What the surgeon means is a 50% chance of needing less CPAP pressure to keep the airway open. For SOME people, that might mean getting off CPAP (until weight gain or scar tissue from the uvula removal cause you to need it again), for most people, it will simply be a reduction in pressure if anything at all. That's a lot of pain and trouble to go through to find yourself STILL on CPAP.

Without a uvula you can't seal off the passage way between the mouth and nose. It can make swallowing difficult, and sometimes you might regurgitate through the nose. It will be harder to seal off air going to your stomach if you still need CPAP, adding to the misery. And, as pointed out, certain guttural sounds may be difficult to make in talking.

Even if you think that all that is worth it, I urge you to wait a month or two, or even 3. You may find it difficult to adjust to CPAP, but once you do, you may realize how great you feel and how worth it is to persist. The surgery to remove the uvula is still going to be available any time down the road, but meanwhile you have to buckle down and give it everything you have to adjust to CPAP first.

Hi, i'm not aware of the five stages, but I am a measured type, and I'm not making any rash decisions, in fact the only one I've made so far is i'm committed to adjusting to therapy because I know I need it

obviously when you have such a fundamental need as sleep threatened and the rug pulled from under it - you panic, and part of helping one's self through panic, as a resourceful human being, is to explore all options, including surgery. I've also explored plan B for when power grids go out, and things like that - pardon the pun, help me sleep better at night. I think you're right it's an adjustment - I'd also like to agree with you here, - I'll be waiting far longer than a month or two, because I have seen what CPAP can do for me.

I guess that's the moment of lucidity, grief or not where I hold onto something I experienced so I know it's out there. If I talk about the uvula, it's because I hold it in a lot of disregard and contempt because its raucous never ending rasping and flapping has taken so many hours of tranquillity out of my life, and frankly, I see little good in it. But I've already had surgery for tonsils, and to be honest I think that's where I stop. This is an anatomical condition bigger than the uvula - one of self asphyxiation not something that can be gotten rid of via chopping off of various body parts, so while I entertain it and gladly take in comments on it from both sides of the fence (though I've yet to see a positive uvula amputee posting how great it is) , this is as someone who wants to understand it all, not someone who by the time send is hit on this post is in the next waiting room for the next useless op!

all the best
Andy

[Janknitz]

Andy, I also saw in the other thread that you are on a BiPAP machine, albeit at a fairly low pressure. That suggests a more complex apnea than simple OSA, and as such, your potential for getting off CPAP from a surgical procedure is even more diminished.

I wonder if something like playing the digeridoo or Buteyko exercises would increase your laryngeal muscle tone a little and keep that uvula from bugging you so much? It might be worth a try in your case.

[VikingGnome]

My brother-in-law had UPPP 10 years ago because he refused to try CPAP (claimed claustrophobic with mask on face). The surgery was pretty radical. The carved out about 1/3 of his throat. Removed fatty tissue from back part of palate, the uvula, the tonsillar pillars, and removed part of his tongue.

Recovery took about 6 months. He had to learn how to eat and drink without food/liquids coming out his nose. He didn't eat out at a restaurant for over a year for fear he would have food coming out his nose in public if he swallowed wrong.

The surgery didn't stop the snoring AT ALL. It didn't help his sleep apnea (refused to have a followup sleep study). Now 10 years later, he snores worse than he did before surgery. He still has occasional difficulties eating and drinking. He either chokes/aspirates or it comes out his nose. I'm totally not kidding. He and my sister sleep in separate bedrooms due to his snoring. She needs her sleep as she works 12 hour shifts at a hospital.

[chunkyfrog]

That is so sad, Gnome. Denial is so much like a slow suicide.
It makes you wish there was a dart gun that could shoot a vaccine against stupid and selfish.
Some people cannot be reached, no matter how much you love them.

[pamsam]

I had my uvula removed along with my tonsils and part of my soft palate. I think it did help my snoring and apnea for awhile, but not long term. I had it done about 9 years ago and am now awaiting results on overnight oximetry to see if I need another sleep study. I hate to be negative, but I will be honest and tell you that it was a very unpleasant recovery. I have had several surgeries and this one was by far the hardest. My Dr. suggested I have it done because he said I was young and would not want to use a cpap for the rest of my life. It bought me 9 years so far, so I guess it was worth it, though.....maybe.