| uvulopalatopharyngoplasty | <procedure> Surgical resection of unnecessary palatal and oropharyngeal tissue in selected cases of snoring, with or without sleep apnea. This technique has proven effective in approximately 50% of cases, when undertaken to cure sleep apnea. Pharmacological treatment of apnea generally fails to correct the problem, thus surgery has offered the best recourse in extreme cases. New mechanical devices which prevent the pharynx from collapsing also appear promising. Synonym: uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, uvulopalatoplasty. Origin: palato-+ pharynx, + plastos, formed. (05 Mar 2000) |
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