The Effect of the Tongue Base and Soft Palate Radiofrequency with the Maximized Therapeutic Dose in Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Patients Undergoing Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty Re-surgery

Obstructive sleep apnea is a chronic disease that requires long-term treatment. One of these treatments is a surgery called uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). According to various theories about the use of radiofrequency in UPPP surgery, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of maximum dose of radiofrequency on the base of the tongue and soft palate in treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in patients undergoing UPPP re-surgery. In this clinical trial study, 40 patients with obstructive sleep apnea were divided into two equal groups. The first group underwent UPPP surgery with radiofrequency of the base of tongue and soft palate with maximal dose, and the second group or control group underwent UPPP surgery. Then, the data were compared between the two groups. Findings: There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding visual analog scale (VAS), Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) before the operation (P > 0.05 for all). After the surgery, the mean VAS snoring and ESS in the intervention group was significantly lower than the control group (P < 0.05 for both). The use of radiofrequency of the soft palate and base of the tongue in association with UPPP effectively leads to a significant improvement in snoring, reduces the amount of drowsiness during the day, and plays an important role in improving the quality of life in patients undergoing UPPP re-surgery.