Sleep nasendoscopy: what benefit to the management of snorers?

Abstract

It has been proposed that sleep nasendoscopy (SN) will improve the success rate of the uvulopalatopharyngoplasty operation by identifying those patients with palatal snoring. The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of SN in the management of snorers who do not have obstructive sleep apnoea. This study compared a group of 26 snorers managed without SN (group A) to a group of 27 snorers managed with SN (group B). The post-operative results of group A were 61 per cent cured, 27 per cent better and 8 per cent unchanged. Group B results were 76 per cent cured, 19 per cent better and 5 per cent unchanged. However, if patients with only palatal snoring had surgery, the results for group B would have been 94 per cent cured, 6 per cent better and 0 per cent unchanged (95 per cent C.I. of difference +0.14, +0.54, p = 0.017). The results confirm the predictive power of SN in identifying success following uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. A simple grading system is suggested to aid in treatment planning. Patients are divided into three categories on SN: palatal snorers, mixed snorers and non-palatal (tongue base) snorers. It is proposed that uvulopalatopharyngoplasty may cure palatal snorers but mixed snorers will need additional therapies to eliminate their snoring although uvulopalatopharyngoplasty may improve the symptoms.