Sleep
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Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is frequently employed in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Despite anecdotal reports of early post-UPPP deaths and the recommendation by some authors to perform a prophylactic tracheotomy for selected patients at the time of UPPP, there has been no systematic examination of breathing during sleep in the early post-UPPP period. In order to evaluate the early postoperative risk and the need for prophylactic tracheotomy in UPPP patients, we conducted polysomnograms (PSGs) on eight obese OSA patients on the second post-UPPP night and on another obese OSA patient on the fifth night after surgery. ⋯ In lieu of this, these individuals should be carefully monitored following surgery. In addition, patients with severe OSA and/or moderate-to-severe nocturnal hemoglobin oxygen desaturation should be considered for early postoperative PSGs as should those individuals who are more hypoxemic while awake following surgery. Patients who require supplemental oxygen postoperatively should also be studied to ensure adequate oxygenation and to monitor for acute, oxygen-related prolongation of apnea.