Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP): Before Your Surgery
What is uvulopalatopharyngoplasty?
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is a type of surgery to remove tissue from the back of your throat. You will be asleep during surgery. The doctor may remove extra tissue from the uvula, tonsils, or part of the soft palate. The soft palate is the back part of the roof of your mouth. After this tissue is removed, air may move through your throat better when you breathe.
This surgery may be used to improve obstructive sleep apnea that has not been helped by other treatments. Obstructive sleep apnea happens when your throat is narrow or blocked by tissue.
After surgery, you may breathe more easily or even snore less. This surgery may not completely fix the problem if the tongue relaxes when you sleep and blocks the airway. So you may still need to use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).
You will probably go home the day after surgery. In about 1 to 2 weeks, you can probably go back to work or most of your usual activities. But you may need 3 to 6 weeks to fully recover.
How do you prepare for surgery?
Surgery can be stressful. This information will help you understand what you can expect. And it will help you safely prepare for surgery.
Preparing for surgery
- Be sure you have someone to take you home. Anesthesia and pain medicine will make it unsafe for you to drive or get home on your own.
- Understand exactly what surgery is planned, along with the risks, benefits, and other options.
- If you take aspirin or some other blood thinner, ask your doctor if you should stop taking it before your surgery. Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do. These medicines increase the risk of bleeding.
- Tell your doctor ALL the medicines and natural health products you take. Some may increase the risk of problems during your surgery. Your doctor will tell you if you should stop taking any of them before the surgery and how soon to do it.
- Make sure your doctor and the hospital have a copy of your advance care plan. If you don't have one, you may want to prepare one. It lets others know your health care wishes. It's a good thing to have before any type of surgery or procedure.
What happens on the day of surgery?
Follow the instructions exactly about when to stop eating and drinking. If you don't, your surgery may be cancelled. If your doctor told you to take your medicines on the day of surgery, take them with only a sip of water.
Take a bath or shower before you come in for your surgery. Do not apply lotions, perfumes, deodorants, or nail polish.
Take off all jewellery and piercings. And take out contact lenses, if you wear them.
At the hospital or surgery centre
When should you call your doctor?
- You have questions or concerns.
- You don't understand how to prepare for your surgery.
- You become ill before the surgery (such as fever, flu, or a cold).
- You need to reschedule or have changed your mind about having the surgery.
Where can you learn more?
Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd
Enter L475 in the search box to learn more about "Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP): Before Your Surgery".
Current as of: July 10, 2023
Author: Healthwise Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
