Surgeons remove snoring under the tongue

Specialists at the Federal Scientific and Clinical Center of Otolaryngology of the Russian Health Ministry have begun practicing an unusual method for getting rid of severe snoring. Using a simple manipulation, surgeons change... the position of the tongue in the mouth! As Elena Vladykina, Head of the Department of Diagnostics and Treatment of Sleep-Related Breathing Pathology, explained, the main criterion by which the severity of snoring is assessed is the number of pauses in breathing during sleep, or apnea. When this number does not exceed 30 per night, doctors can relieve the patient of this unpleasant phenomenon with the help of surgical intervention (removal of the uvula or notches on the soft palate). But with more frequent apnea, the only salvation for the patient is a special device that works on the principle of an artificial lung ventilation apparatus. Doctors have discovered that such serious breathing problems are often caused by various pathologies not only of the nasopharynx, but also of the position of the tongue. When snoring, its root partially blocks the entrance to the larynx, and sometimes it completely recedes, which ends tragically. Recently, doctors have found a simple and ingenious solution to this problem. Under general anesthesia, the surgeon threads a thread into the root of the tongue and pulls the organ closer to the front teeth. Then it is firmly fixed to the lower jaw. Incidentally, the operation is performed through a small incision under the chin, so there are no visible scars on the face. The displacement of the tongue ensures normal air access to the lungs during sleep and does not affect either diction or chewing function. Source: www.mk.ru