| Musculus Uvulae Shortening for the Treatment of Snoring |
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Jung Ok Seo, Jang Woo Kwon, Sung Kyun Kim, Sung Il Kim, Dong Joon Park |
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Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University, Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea. rhico@yonsei.ac.kr |
| 구개수근 단축술을 이용한 코골이 치료 |
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서정옥, 권장우, 김성균, 김성일, 박동준 |
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연세대학교 원주의과대학 이비인후과학교실 |
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| Abstract |
Background and Objectives
We investigated the effectiveness of shortening the uvula muscle for the treatment of snoring. This new and simple procedure was developed to promote the elevation of the uvula position using a minimally invasive technique.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
S: Fifteen habitual snorers were included in this study. In order to find the exact anatomical position of the uvula muscle, we first dissected the soft palate of a cadaver to better understand the exact anatomical location and structure of the uvula muscle. With this result, we developed a new surgical technique for treating snoring. The results of our surgery were evaluated by both the patient and bed partner before surgery, at 30 days, and 90 days after surgery respectively using the visual analogue scale (VAS).
Results
Post-operative physical examinations showed superiorly displaced uvula position. The lower half of the soft palate and uvula were also anteriorly flexed. Those findings remained unaltered beyond the 90th post-operative day. The patient and bed partner snoring symptoms assessed by VAS were significantly improved compared to the pre-treatment values (p<0.05).
Conclusion
The uvula muscle shortening is an effective and simple method for the treatment of snoring. |
| Key Words:
Uvula muscle;Soft palate;Snoring;Visual analogue scale |
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