Surgery no quick fix for sleep problems
The paper published in the British Medical Journal![[PDF] [PDF]](/global/images/nav/pdf_micro.gif)
Friday, 4 January 2008
Surgery for obstructive sleep apnoea has no clear benefit and should not be offered as a first treatment, argue University of 亚洲色吧 researchers in this week's .
Obstructive sleep apnoea is a common disorder caused by the collapse of the upper airways during sleep. This leads to loud snoring and sometimes breathing stops temporarily. The condition is associated with multiple morbidities, motor vehicle crashes, and reduced health-related quality of life. It mainly affects middle-aged, overweight men.
Guidelines recommend continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) with weight and alcohol management, if appropriate, as the first line treatment. But upper airway surgery is becoming increasingly popular in Australia and elsewhere.
Dr Adam Elshaug and researchers from the Univers