Sleep Endoscopy: Why Is It So Important in Diagnosing and Treating Sleep Apnea?

If you experience complaints such as snoring, pauses in breathing during sleep, and waking up tired in the morning, these symptoms may indicate obstructive sleep apnea. In this case,  sleep endoscopy  is of great importance for accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment.

What is Sleep Endoscopy?

Sleep endoscopy is the process of imaging the upper respiratory tract in real time in a patient who is put into a sleep-like state with a sedative  . In this way, it can be clearly determined at which levels  the airway obstruction  occurs, such as the nose, nasal passages, palate, base of the tongue or larynx .

While polysomnography  (sleep test) detects the presence of sleep apnea,  sleep endoscopy  plays a critical role in treatment planning by determining the location and cause of the obstruction. It is indispensable for intervening in the correct area, especially if surgery is considered.

To Whom Does It Apply?

Sleep endoscopy is recommended in the following situations:

• If there is no response to treatments such as CPAP devices,
• If surgical intervention is planned,
• If the airway anatomy is complex or if there has been previous unsuccessful surgery.

How is it done? Is it painful?

The procedure usually  takes 10-20 minutes  , is painless, and the patient is discharged the same day. The patient is given a sedative to relax them and a thin camera is inserted through the nose to view the airway. During this time, breathing is observed and areas of obstruction are assessed.

In some cases, sleep endoscopy  can be performed under general anesthesia  . However, evaluations performed with high-resolution flexible endoscopes  while the patient is awake  and in a sitting position can also yield effective results.

Which Areas May Cause Problems?

Obstructions that cause snoring and sleep apnea usually originate in the following areas:

• Nose:  Septum deviation, turbinate hypertrophy, polyps
• Adenoid:  adenoid enlargement, tumors
• Throat:  Tonsil enlargement, pendulous palate and uvula, large tongue base, flexible epiglottis

Different areas may be affected in each patient; therefore, treatment  should be planned specifically for each individual  .

Are There Any Disadvantages?

Like any medical procedure, sleep endoscopy has some limitations:

• It may be costly  and may not be applied in every center.
• Sedative medication may not exactly match natural sleep.
• It requires expertise , and accurate interpretation is critical to treatment success.

The Golden Key to Personalized and Targeted Treatment

Thanks to sleep endoscopy, effective and permanent solutions based on scientific data instead of trial and error in sleep apnea treatment   are possible. If you are experiencing complaints such as snoring, pauses in breathing during sleep or lack of response to treatment, it may be useful to consult your doctor about this method.

You can contact us for more information about the diagnosis and treatment of snoring, sleep apnea and other Ear, Nose and Throat diseases .

I wish you healthy days.