Diagnostic Services:

♦  In-lab sleep study at an accredited facility
♦  Home snoring & sleep apnea testing
♦  Upper airway endoscopy
♦  Drug-induced sleep endoscopy
♦  Maxillofacial radiography

Techniques & Technology:

♦  Stroboscopy
♦  Barium swallow study
♦  Flexible endoscopic evaluation
♦  Phonomicrosurgery
♦  Laser surgery
♦  Injection laryngoplasty
♦  Microlaryngoscopy
♦  Biopsies
♦  Tracheostomy

Multispecialty Patient Evaluation:

Sleep Surgeon:
The sleep surgeon provides a comprehensive examination with endoscopy of the patient’s anatomy in order to determine the upper airway sites most likely involved in obstruction. The surgeon will also identify and medically manage sources of upper airway inflammation that may contribute to sleep-disordered breathing including sinusitis/ allergy, nasal polyposis, adenotonsillar hypertrophy, laryngopharyngeal reflux, and smoking. The surgeon will offer office-based and inpatient surgical services to patients with benign snoring without apnea, upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS), mild sleep apnea with identifiable anatomical obstruction, CPAP intolerance after adequate trial period (minimum 3 months for moderate or severe apnea), and nasal obstruction due to anatomical deformity resistant to medical therapy.

Medical Sleep Specialist:
The medical sleep specialist consults on all new patients with sleep-disordered breathing, and provides follow-up of both CPAP and post-surgical patients. The medical sleep specialist focuses on the management of comorbidities, obesity, lung disease, sleep hygiene, and medications that may affect sleep. The medical sleep specialists will schedule and read all sleep studies at a an accredited sleep diagnostic laboratory. The medical sleep specialist will schedule CPAP trials as indicated, and prescribe CPAP to patients with moderate or severe apnea, and to those with milder apnea or UARS who choose CPAP therapy. The sleep specialist will monitor CPAP compliance over the course of several months, and refer non-compliant patients to the sleep surgeon for evaluation. The sleep specialist will also care for other sleep disorders including restless leg syndrome, insomnia, narcolepsy, enuresis, among other conditions.

Dental Sleep Medicine Specialist:
The dental sleep specialist is available when sleep-disordered breathing results from dental and jaw-related abnormalities. A small lower jaw or large tongue can often be seen in patients with sleep disordered breathing. Patients with this condition who have mild or moderate sleep apnea often benefit from a custom-made oral appliance (night-guard) that fits comfortably in the mouth and is worn during sleep. This moves the lower jaw forward, and results in enlargement of the posterior breathing space.

Academic Mission:
The UT Methodist is an academic institution dedicated to excellence in teaching and research in addition to patient care. Select patient cases will be presented at multi-specialty sleep teaching conferences. In addition, UT Methodist Sleep Surgery patients will be assessed for eligibility for clinical trials investigating the latest advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep-disordered breathing.

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