A man regained his confidence finding love after surgery to treat his loud snoring, said Hsu Che-lun (許哲綸), an otolaryngologist at Asia University Hospital.
The 38-year-old, surnamed Hsieh (謝), complained of snoring and said that it had prevented him from finding a partner, Hsu said on Saturday.
Clinical examinations showed that Hsieh’s soft palate and uvula were too slack and met the criteria for mild sleep apnea, Hsu said.
Photo: Chen Chien-chih, Taipei Times
Doctors used radiofrequency ablation — a minimally invasive surgical procedure — to treat Hsieh, he said.
Snoring is one symptom of sleep apnea and if left untreated can lead to a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease, as the patient is subject to long periods of inadequate oxygen supply, Hsu said.
Most problems causing sleep apnea originate in the soft palate or uvula, although other issues, such as respiratory tract muscles relaxing during sleep are also known to cause snoring, he said.
The most common causes are a large tongue, tongue-based obstruction, a stuffed nose and obesity, Hsu said, adding that sedatives and alcohol can worsen snoring.
Doctirs used to perform uvulopalatopharyngoplasty — removing or remodeling tissue in the throat — or uvulotomy — cutting the uvula — but these cause a great deal of pain, he said.
Radiofrequency ablation is relatively affordable, costing between NT$10,000 and NT$30,000, and treats the issue by “shrinking” target organic matter, Hsu said.
The treatment usually lowers snoring frequency and volume within six to eight weeks, he said.
Radiofrequency ablation leaves the mucosa, the membrane lining the throat, relatively intact so the patient does not need to remain in hospital post-surgery, he said.
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