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Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty for obstructive sleep apnea
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is a procedure that removes excess tissue in the throat to make the airway wider. This sometimes can allow air to move through the throat more easily when you breathe, reducing the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The tissues that are removed may include:
- The soft fingerlike tissue that hangs down from the back of the roof of the mouth into the throat (uvula).
- Part of the roof of the mouth (soft palate).
- Excess throat tissue, tonsils, and adenoids.
See pictures of the
tonsils, adenoids, and uvula 
and the
hard and soft palates .
If an enlarged tongue is a factor in your sleep apnea, the surgeon may remove a small part of the tongue. This is called an uvulopalatopharyngoglossoplasty.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: July 9, 2009 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Mark A. Rasmus, MD - Pulmonology, Critical Care Medicine, Sleep Medicine | |
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