Hyoid suspension, in which the hyoid bone in the neck, another attachment point for tongue muscles, is pulled forward in front of the larynx. Maxillomandibular advancementIn the morbidly obese, a major loss of weight (such as what occurs after bariatric surgery) can sometimes cure the condition. OSA in children is often due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids because the lymphoid tissue grows fast during young age. Surgical removal of enlarged tonsils (tonsillectomy) and the adenoid (adenoidectomy) are currently first line treatment among children with OSA. The operation is a common procedure but in the most extreme cases, children with severe OSA requires special precautions before, surgery (see "Surgery and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome" below). In some countries, a milder surgical procedure called tonsillotomy is used to remove the protruding tonsillar tissue, a method associated with less pain and lower risk of postoperative hemorrhage. Neurostimulation
For patients who cannot use a continuous positive airway pressure device, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2014 granted pre-market approval for an upper airway stimulation system that senses respiration and delivers mild electrical stimulation to the hypoglossal nerve in order to increase muscle tone at the back of the tongue so it will not collapse over the airway. The device includes a handheld patient controller to allow it to be switched on before sleep and is powered by an implantable pulse generator, similar to one used for cardiac rhythm management.
An intervention comprising exercise and diet is thus effective for the treatment of OSA as it positively impacts the severity of both obesity symptoms and OSA symptoms.Individuals with Type 2 diabetes are often co-diagnosed with OSA, where Type 2 diabetes prevalence rates range between 15% to 30% within the OSA population. The relationship between OSA and Type 2 diabetes could possibly be explained by the fact that OSA-characteristic fragmented sleep and irregular hypoxemia leads to the dysregulated metabolism of glucose in the blood. In particular, many polysomnography studies showed that OSA left untreated worsens glycemic control in individuals with Type 2 diabetes. However, it is possible that the relationship between OSA and Type 2 diabetes is bidirectional since diabetes-related nerve dysfunction may affect the respiratory system and induce breathing disturbances during sleep. Psychological consequences
Sleep is of major importance for psychological and emotional health. As it is greatly impaired in OSA, this condition is associated with mood disorders and several psychological outcomes, especially depression and anxiety. Therefore, psychological disorders are commonly observed in OSA patients who show a higher prevalence of psychological distress, mostly due to the impaired sleep quality and structure and the repeated episodes of hypoxia. The presence of psychological disorders may also worsen the sleep disorders which implies that the psychopathology may either be a factor or a consequence of the OSA.