Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty UPPP – Sleep Surgery
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is surgery to open the upper airways at the back of the throat by taking out extra soft tissue. This allows air to move through the throat more easily when you breathe, reducing snoring.
Why have this procedure?
UPPP is a common procedure for the treatment for severe snoring or obstructive sleep apnoea when other treatments, like losing weight or wearing a sleep device, have not helped.
What is involved in this procedure?
UPPP is an operation performed under general anaesthetic.
Your surgeon will use a range of surgical techniques to remove the extra soft tissue at the back of the throat. This may include removing the soft flap of tissue that hangs down at the back of the mouth (uvula), parts of the soft palate and tissue at the sides of the throat. Your tonsils and adenoids may also be removed (if you still have them).
What should I expect after surgery?
Take regular pain relief such as Panadol for the first 5 days. You can take Ibuprofen (Nurofen) in combination with Panadol provided you are not allergic to it or have asthma. We recommend you take the Nurofen no more than 3 times a day and to take it during a meal as it can cause significant upset to the stomach. Pain may worsen day 2-3. Drink plenty of water. Having a white coating on your throat and bad breath is normal. It is also normal to feel like you have a cold. This is not an infection. There is no indication for antibiotics in most cases after a UPPP.
Diet - Avoid hot foods and drinks for 2 weeks as these can increase the risk of bleeding. Cooked meals are fine but let the food cool down before eating it. Citrus (acidic) drinks such as orange juice and spicy foods may cause some throat discomfort but are not dangerous to have. Often milk, ice cream and yoghurt are soothing for the throat.
It takes around three weeks to fully recover from UPPP surgery. As a rule, most people have two weeks off work. If your job is not strenuous, you may require less time off work. The initial stages of recovery can be painful for swallowing, eating and drinking. You may have stiches in the back of your throat, which will dissolve on their own after a few weeks.
What do I do if I get bleeding? A small amount of bleeding post operatively is common. If this does happen, rinse your mouth with water. If bleeding is large in volume or continues for more than 20-30 minutes, go to the nearest hospital with an emergency centre.
Travel - Please do not make any plans to travel more than 40 minutes from the hospital the first 2 weeks after a UPPP.
When your post-operative swelling has settled, you should have better airflow and may find that you snore less or not at all.
Dr Kellys rooms will provide you with post operative care instructions prior to your surgery