Babak Katiraee, MD1, Peter Powles, MD, FRACP, FRCPC, ABSM2, Maria Tiboni, MD, FRCPC2, Dennis Hong, MD, MSc, FRCSC, FACS1, Scott Gmora, MD, FRCSC, FACS1, Mehran Anvari, MB, BS, PhD, FRCSC, FACS1. 1Centre for Minimal Access Surgery (CMAS), 2St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Background: Obesity is one of the risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), increasing its risk by tenfold. The use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is a proven method of treating obstructive sleep apnea, but compliance is reported to be less than 50%. Although patients achieve important weight loss after bariatric surgery, literature is conflicting regarding any improvement of obstructive sleep apnea symptoms.
Purpose: This study aims to assess the effects of bariatric surgery on sleep apnea symptoms, apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) scores, and use of CPAP treatment.
Methodology: Retrospective chart review of patients who underwent bariatric surgery at our institution between January 2013 and September 2014. We included 376 patients who had completed a preoperative overnight polysomnography, had diagnoses of OSA, and were on CPAP prior to surgery. We then excluded patients that did not complete a postoperative polysomnography.
Results: We observed a decrease in body weight (Kg.) of 23.40%, and a decrease in BMI of 22.76% in accordance with their post bariatric state. In relation to their sleep apnea: there was a decrease in AHI of 56.86%, a decrease in their Arousal Index by 34.97% which lead to a decrease in the requirement of CPAP use by 67.64%. CPAP pressures were reduced postoperatively by 19.83%. The average interval between surgery and follow-up polysomnography was 20 months.
Conclusions: Bariatric surgery significantly improved OSA scores and decreased CPAP use in relation to decreases in BMI and body weight. These results are in relation to successful weight loss after bariatric surgery.
Presented at the SAGES 2017 Annual Meeting in Houston, TX.
Abstract ID: 80617
Program Number: P527
Presentation Session: Poster (Non CME)
Presentation Type: Poster