Studies Conclude That Bariatric Surgery is an Excellent Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obesity increases the risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder that interferes with breathing.  Gastric surgery for weight loss (bariatric surgery) is often recommended as treatment to help resolve these issues.  Here we describe the data from a 2013 study by Sarkhosh and colleagues which confirms this recommendation.  Each type of weight loss surgery examined effectively resolved OSA.  Experts like Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding will continue to recommend gastric surgery for weight loss based on these findings.

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the airway becomes blocked during sleep. This can cause loud snoring, shallow breathing, and even complete disruption of breathing. Because of this, patients and their partners often wake during the night and feel fatigued during the day.

This diagram shows the normal flow of oxygen and carbon dioxide during sleep when the airways are not blocked.

With obstructive sleep apnea, the airway becomes blocked causing snoring and other related symptoms. Gastric surgery for weight loss, when successful, can help resolve this blockage.

With obesity, the blockage usually results from having excess soft tissue around the airway.  

Because these symptoms happen during sleep, people may not realize they are occurring unless someone tells them.  The diagnosis can then be further confirmed by sleep studies, in which a doctor monitors sleep. Through polysomnography, they can measure irregularities in breathing and monitor blood oxygen levels.  

If untreated, the combination of oxygen loss and poor sleep can lead to risk of other health problems.  For example, people with untreated OSA have a 30% higher rate of heart attack.  It can also lead to congestive heart failure, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, and further weight gain.

Analysis of Bariatric Surgery as a Treatment

Sarkhosh and colleagues analyzed 69 studies which included a total of 13,900 patients.  They examined the impact of gastric bypass surgery, gastric sleeve surgery, biliopancreatic diversion (BPD), and lap band surgery.

Though some bariatric surgery procedures were more effective than others, each improved quality of sleep.  Patients who had BPD surgery experienced the most improvement and those who had lap band surgery reported the least improvement.  Overall, more than 75% percent of patients experienced better sleep after their surgical procedures.  As a result, the researchers concluded that bariatric surgery is a definitive treatment for OSA.  Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding concurs with these findings.

Meet with Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding about Gastric Surgery for Weight Loss

Struggling with obstructive sleep apnea? Please contact Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding and schedule your evaluation.  The NYU Langone Weight Management Program is ready to help you!