Through the airway to a peaceful and quality sleep
Due to symptoms that can be easily confused with other health problems, the diagnosis of apnea does not occur until it seriously begins to interfere with your daily activities.
Sleep apnea is a phenomenon characterized by short-term interruptions in breathing during sleep and poor sleep quality.
Due to symptoms that can be easily confused with other health problems, the diagnosis of apnea does not occur until it seriously begins to interfere with your daily activities.
Breathing disorders during sleep can occur as a result of narrowing of the airways, of which the airways of the nasal cavity are particularly distinguished.
Polyps in the nose, hypertrophy of the nasal concha or deviation of the nasal septum are just some of the causes of apnea, and with nose surgery you can successfully treat this phenomenon and ensure a peaceful and quality sleep.
Sleep apnea occurs when air can no longer pass normally through the airways. Narrowing, or complete blockage of the passage, occurs when relaxing the muscles of the pharynx, tongue or soft palate.
Sleep apnea is often not categorized as a life-threatening ailment, but ignoring it can increase the risk of developing a heart attack or stroke.
Depending on the affected area, we divide two types of apnea:
Obstructive sleep apnea
Obstructive apnea occurs when there is a narrowing of the upper airways due to relaxed muscles of the tongue, pharynx or soft palate. Narrowing of the airways can cause shortness of breath, snoring and episodes of sleep suffocation.
Central apnea
Central apnea occurs when the vegetative nervous system does not perform its function properly.
This part of the nervous system is responsible for phenomena in the body over which we have no control (breathing, heart rate, swallowing…), and in the case of central apnea, breathing is completely stopped.
You can notice sleep apnea by the appearance of symptoms such as snoring, morning headache, chronic fatigue and poor concentration.
Although short-term interruptions in sleep, or snoring, are not considered such serious disorders, there is a more serious diagnosis behind them. Namely, when a person briefly stops breathing due to blocked airways, the brain very quickly sends nerve impulses that act as a warning.
Various stimuli, such as changing position or tightening muscles, are used to improve airway patency during sleep.
Because of such an action, exhaustion occurs when you wake up; Instead of your brain resting and renewing itself for the next day, it must “intervene” to make your airways clear again.
Such frequent interventions can result in disturbed sleep rhythms, waking up at night and other problems such as chronic fatigue and lack of concentration.
At the Lohuis Filipović Polyclinic, we perform various tests through which we can diagnose sleep apnea:
Irregularities in the development of cartilage and bone tissue can lead to thickening of certain segments of the nasal cavity. Thus, for example, the asymmetry of the nasal septum will result in the development of enlarged nasal concha on the side where the septum has moved away from the center of the nose.
In addition to enlarged nasal conchae, breathing difficulties can also be caused by nasal polyps . Numerous bacterial and viral infections, as well as allergies, can potentiate the development of nasal polyps.
If apnea is caused by nasal disorders, surgical procedures such as surgery of the nasal concha, sinus or polyp removal are in most cases the optimal solution for you.
Before performing apnea surgery, appropriate precautions should be taken to avoid possible complications and speed up recovery.
In addition to conducting the necessary examinations (polygraphy, polysomnography, endoscopy in sleep, CT and MR scans), the following tests should be performed:
These tests serve us to have an insight into your vital functions during the operation. By observing the parameters, the anesthesiologist warns of any recorded abnormalities (changes in heart rate, breathing rhythm, oxygen level in the blood…).
Before the operation, you fill out a consent form whose signature proves that you are familiar with the procedure of the operation, as well as possible side effects.
If you have experienced an allergic reaction to anesthesia in previous surgeries, be sure to inform us about it so that we can adjust the procedure and perform the operation with as few complications as possible.
People who have blood clotting disorders should also inform us so that we can find an adequate solution and approach the operation with different procedures.
A few days before surgery, avoid consuming blood-thinning pills (Aspirin or Andol). By consuming such pills, you risk the possibility of bleeding and a longer recovery period.
Due to the use of general anesthesia, you come to the operation on an empty stomach; General anesthesia can result in nausea and the need to vomit, so coming on an empty stomach before surgery is recommended.
Come to the operation accompanied. The effect of general anesthesia is present even a few hours after the procedure, and due to dizziness and weakness, it is better for someone else to take you home to recover.
Upon arrival at the polyclinic, you are directed to the operating room. Once you are comfortably seated, the anesthesiologist administers general anesthesia after which you will fall asleep. Due to the action of general anesthesia, you will not feel any pain, and you will not even remember the operation.
The operation is performed by a head and neck surgeon and a specialist in otorhinolaryngology, and since the following procedures are performed in the nasal area, the procedures and techniques used are relatively similar:
Laser surgery is performed when you experience shortness of breath caused by poor patency of the sinuses.
The laser removes excess tissue that has caused thickening of the mucous membrane and mucus buildup. During the procedure, the surgeon can laser further widen the passage or make another smaller incision to make breathing easier.
Bleeding during surgery is minimal due to the use of lasers, and there is no external damage, except for the surrounding affected tissue.
This type of surgery is performed when there is difficulty breathing due to dilated nasal conchles.
This type of procedure can be performed in several ways, and due to quick recovery and minor complications, ablation and resection of the nasal concha submucosa are particularly distinguished.
Using a laser or radiofrequency device, the layer under the mucous membrane is removed, which reduces the volume of the nasal conch and maintains the external integrity of the tissue.
Preserving the mucous membranes is important in order to continue to “feel” the air when inhaling and thus avoid a disorder called empty nose syndrome.
The septum is the tissue that divides the nose into two nostrils. The anterior part is made of cartilage tissue, and the posterior part connects to the skull through bone tissue.
Rarely do any of us have a perfectly straight and symmetrical septum. However, if asymmetry is causing breathing problems, surgery is the best solution to treat this problem.
The surgeon begins the procedure with an incision of the columella, the skin that forms the nasal septum. In rare cases, for better visibility, the surgeon may also incision the nostril.
After the incision, the surgeon lifts the skin inside the nose and removes the cartilage that caused the deviation. By removing a part of the septum, it is strengthened and returned to a flat, symmetrical position.
In the event of a disturbance in the appearance of the nose due to the removed cartilage and bone, the surgeon may reintroduce some of the cartilage from the rib or ear to strengthen the structure of the septum.
After surgery, you are given tampons in your nose that you wear until the bleeding stops.
These surgeries usually last between 30-90 minutes, and after the operation you remain under observation and are released home for home care on the same day.
Since surgeries are performed with modern equipment and methods of work, recovery is in most cases quick and without major complications.
Avoid strenuous physical activity for a few days after surgery; Activities such as walking are permitted. Increase the intensity of the activity over time.
When sleeping, try to sleep on your back and with your head elevated to avoid blood flowing into the esophagus.
Do not blow through the nose for the next 2-4 weeks so as not to provoke capillary rupture and bleeding.
If it makes you sneeze, try sneezing through your mouth.
After surgery, complications are possible that are standard for any surgical procedure, such as bleeding, an allergic reaction, or an infection.
The following complications are also characteristic of nose surgeries:
If you notice any of the above symptoms, be sure to contact us so that we can eliminate the existing problems as soon as possible.
At the Lohuis Filipović Polyclinic, we are aware of the problems that arise due to sleep apnea.
This seemingly harmless phenomenon hides various complications such as an increased risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue and a lack of concentration that will make your daily routines more and more challenging.
Quality sleep should be one of the main priorities of each of us, because it is through sleep that the body regenerates and prepares for the activities that follow the next day.
Take care of the quality of your sleep and make an appointment today, by calling +3851 2444 646 or filling out the online form.
The main goal of LF Polyclinic is to improve the quality of life and health of our clients by providing them with top-notch healthcare services.
