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Have You Ever Seen Sleep Apnea Improved or Even Cured After Neck Liposuction?

asked 1 year ago by teachfish70 in Cape Coral, FL
Latest answer by Ronald Shelton, MD
Question viewed 319 times
Tags: age 35-44, neck, female, cure, overweight, sleep apnea

I am only 15 - 20 lbs. overweight and have been diagnosed as having sleep apnea pretty much all my life. I am a 41 year old woman. Told I am in the minority of sleep apnea sufferers and that my apnea is severe. Three pulmonologists have told me that they cannot tell me why I have it and that surgery is not an option. Neck has always been thick, even at 120 lbs. Want lipo on neck anyway, just wondering if it might help apnea. Any input would be appreciated...

8 answers to Have You Ever Seen Sleep Apnea Improved or Even Cured After Neck Liposuction?

Sleep apnea is not expected to improve after neck liposuction

In sleep apnea, there may be an obstruction in the air passageway between the nose and the area below the throat, not in the fatty tissues above the muscle and underneath the skin of the neck. Therefore, reduction of the fat volume in the neck should not contribute to easier air movement and the sleep apnea should not improve.

Ronald Shelton, MD
Manhattan Dermatologist

Liposuction - Correction of Sleep Apnea?

Hi teachfish70 in Cape Coral, FL, I am unaware of liposuction ever having had an effect on sleep apnea. The amount and distribution of the fat to be removed would not, in my opinion, be a significant contributing factor for sleep apnea (though I am not an expert in that particular diagnosis). During your procedure you would need either general anesthesia or careful control of the airway if sedation is being used (though both are indicated for all patients!) and I would... more

Alan Engler, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Sleep apnea and neck lipo

To my knowledge I do not have a case of sleep aopnea that was cured or improved with liposuction.

Robert Brueck, MD
Fort Myers Plastic Surgeon

Neck fat, liposuction, and sleep apnea

I happen to have sleep apnea as well and therefore I'm more knowledgeable about it than the average plastic surgeon. Unfortunately, liposuction of subcutaneous fat in the neck will not help but should not be a problem to do even with sleep apnea as it can be done with local anesthesia. The problem in sleep apnea is identifying the cause and seeing if it's treatable. Most sleep apnea is caused by mechanical obstruction of the airway somewhere in the oropharynx (back of the... more

Scott L. Replogle, MD
Denver Plastic Surgeon

Neck fat and sleep apnea

Sleepfish, There is absolutely no correlation between neck fat and sleep apnea. You need to have a sleep study and full exam by a ENT surgeon which will determine the source of your sleep apnea. It may be due to pathology in your soft palate or tonsils, or obesite or a combination of all three. A full evaluation is needed prior to diagnosis and treatments that are recommended.

Ernesto Hayn, MD
West Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon

Neck Liposuction Should Not Improve Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea has many anatomic causes but excess fat in the neck has never been shown to be one of them. The only relationship between neck fat and an obstructed upper airway is proximity. On the other hand, there is no negative effect of neck liposuction on sleep apnea so it would be interesting to see if there was any improvement...as remote as that chance would seem to be.

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD
Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon

www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com

SLEEP APNEA

There is no relationship between sleep apnea and the reduction of fat in the neck by liposuction. Sleep apnea is a disorder characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing or instances of abnormally low breathing, during sleep. Excess fat in the neck is not a contributory cause of sleep apnea.

Todd B. Koch, MD
Buffalo Plastic Surgeon

Probably not.

Hello, The fat under the skin in the neck is not the cause of sleep apnea so I doubt removing some of it would change anything. Best Regards, John Di Saia MD

John P. Di Saia, MD
Orange Plastic Surgeon

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