The effect of bariatric surgery on obstructive sleep apnea :
Obese people have more fatty tissue around their upper airways.
During sleep, the muscles of the throat relax and the weight around the soft tissue partially or completely collapses.
After bariatric surgery, fat in the upper airways is reduced and helps to open the airway, thereby improving sleep apnea.
While the link between being overweight and sleep apnea is clear, the question is, is weight loss surgery the only treatment for obstructive sleep apnea?
Before choosing a surgical procedure, doctors recommend diet and exercise to help with weight loss.
Your doctor may also use CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) therapy. CPAP (Continuous positive airway pressure) method is one of the most common and least invasive methods for treating sleep apnea.
Causes of obstructive sleep apnea
Snoring during sleep happens due to the closing of the airways (tongue and soft palate falling into the airway).
People who are overweight or obese are more prone to sleep apnea because the diaphragm and chest muscles have to work harder to keep your airway open during sleep.
Closing the airways during sleep causes hypoxia, which means a decrease in the amount of oxygen in the tissues.
Severe breathing interruptions during sleep can lead to strokes and heart attacks.
On the other hand, reducing the amount of oxygen in tissues leads to premature aging in all organs.
Also, obstructive sleep apnea affects the blood vessels and causes atherosclerosis (arteriosclerosis), which is the cause of various heart and brain strokes.
Although obstructive sleep apnea is one of the most dangerous complications of obesity, its response to bariatric surgery is very dramatic and fast, so that after bariatric surgery, snoring is completely cured within two weeks after the operation and there is no more news about it. There will be no severe snoring.
Treating sleep apnea with bariatric surgery will be one of the first symptoms that an obese person gets rid of after surgery.
The link between obesity and sleep apnea
Obesity is one of the most important causes of obstructive sleep apnea.
Apnea is a serious sleep disorder.
Obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart arrhythmias, heart attacks and strokes.
About 85% of people with sleep apnea are obese.
Sleep apnea occurs in about 25% of men and nearly 10% of women.
This problem can affect people of any age, but it is more common in people over 40 and those who are overweight and obese.
If you are obese and have sleep apnea, weight loss with bariatric surgery can significantly improve or even completely cure your problem.
Which bariatric surgery is more effective for sleep apnea?
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and laparoscopic gastric sleeve are both suitable methods for treating sleep apnea.
Bariatric surgeries also play an important role in treating type 2 diabetes, treating high blood pressure, treating infertility, treating skeletal diseases, and treating fatty liver.
Written By : Dr. M. Yarani