Obesity is one of the paramount causes of obstructive sleep apnea, especially in children. Prolonged sleep apnea can lead to enlarged tonsils which then need to be surgically removed. Research by otolaryngologists (ear, nose, and throat doctors) found that obese children who underwent surgery to remove enlarged tonsils required more time in the hospital.
Another study from researchers at the University of Texas found that people with morbid obesity (that is, a body mass index of 40 or more) who underwent a tonsillectomy (surgery to remove the tonsils) or adenoidectomy (surgery to remove the adenoids) experienced more medical issues than people who were moderately obese or overweight. For example, patients who were morbidly obese experienced a greater need for intensive care, longer hospital stays, and more intensive treatment for sleep apnea following surgery. Morbidly obese patients did ultimately benefit from the procedure and experienced less snoring, apnetic occurrences, and daytime sleepiness.
Talk to your Orlando ENT doctor about ways that you can safely lose weight prior to your scheduled ENT surgery.
