Lingual Surgeries
The area behind the tongue is a frequent zone of airway obstruction during sleep. This area is problematic in more than 60% of patients with obstructive sleep apnea and many of the patients affected by snoring alone.
While you are awake, the muscles of the throat and tongue are active and keep the airway open for breathing. These muscles loose their tonus during sleep allowing the tongue and other neighboring structures to fall back and obstruct airflow.
Thorough clinical evaluation can determine if the lingual area is problematic and involved in the pathogenesis of sleep apnea or snoring. It is possible to determine in advance which patients will benefit the most from a lingual procedure.
For more information on lingual procedures please consult the following pages:
