Snoring and sleep disorder clinic

• Surgical and non-surgical treatments are available including nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), nasal septal surgery and surgery to soft palate and tongue using laser and radiofrequency thermotherapy.
• Transoral robotic surgery for CPAP failures, where midline glossectomy and or epiglottic wedge resection can be performed.
• Patients may be referred to a specialist sleep dentist for mandibular advancement splints.
• Sleep improvement programme and cognitive behavioural therapy for sleep disturbance and insomnia.
• A consultant-led CPAP support service, which provides continued long-term care for CPAP patients and complex CPAP patients.

Our primary focus is on sleep breathing disorders, specifically upper airway resistance syndrome and sleep apnoea (we are funded to treat mild, moderate and severe sleep apnoea).  We work in a fluid multidisciplinary group providing a range of NHS services and treatment options for these conditions.  Our diagnostic services include: 

• WatchPat Sleep Studies – These devices are posted directly to your home and provide an excellent rapid test for sleep-disordered breathing.  These devices are single-use and are discarded after use making them very COVID safe. 
• NoxT3 Sleep Studies – This device represents the best technology for home sleep studies and is particularly good at accurately diagnosing upper airway resistance syndrome and gaining the necessary data to consider surgical treatment for sleep apnoea. 
• In-Hospital Polysomnography – This is the gold standard method of investigating sleep-disordered breathing, and other sleep disorders such as restless legs syndrome, parasomnias epileptic conditions etc. 
• Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy – This investigation was invented in our institution and has now become the global investigation of choice before considering surgery for sleep apnoea.  We remain at the leading edge of research in this technique. 

We offer a wide range of treatment options for sleep-disordered breathing which includes: 

• CPAP is the first-line treatment option for moderate or severe sleep apnoea.  This is essentially a mask that keeps the airway open at night and prevents sleep apnoea and loss of oxygen.  We provide the latest devices on the market and have a dedicated team of professionals to help you with humidification, pressure settings and mask fitting. 
• Mandibular Advancement Devices – These devices are inserted in the mouth at night and gently pull the lower jaw forward.  This creates space behind the tongue to allow people to breathe better at night.   
• Positional devices (NightBalance) – Many people have noticed that they snore less and breathe better when they sleep on their side.  These devices help train you to spend a greater proportion of the night sleeping on your side thereby improving your sleep quality. 
• Surgery is considered a last resort in the treatment of sleep-disordered breathing but it can be the only option in those patients who are unable to tolerate CPAP or mandibular advancement devices.  Our department has the most experience in surgical treatment options for sleep-disordered breathing than any other centre in the country.  We are fully funded to provide all the surgical treatments for sleep-disordered breathing which include: 
• Tonsillectomy 
• Nasal breathing operations including functional septorhinoplasty 
• Palatoplasty 
• Pharyngoplasty including expansion pharyngoplasty and suture techniques  
• Tongue base operations include radiofrequency ablation, coblation. 
• We hope to soon be able to provide hypoglossal nerve stimulators (such as the Inspire and Genio devices) free on the NHS.