Sleep Medicine

Program Description Media coverage, physician education, and continued research on the long‐term sequelae of obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) have created a huge increase in the number of patients seeking treatment. At the same time, disillusionment with the results of classic surgery such as UPPP and genioglossal advancement has deterred many otolaryngologists from attempting to treat this condition. As the demand for treatment increases, diagnosis of OSAHS will become an increasingly significant component of every ENT practice and surgical treatment will remain an option for selected patients. The purpose of this course is to 1) Explain options for attached and unattached PSG or portable system, 2) Review new techniques and new clinical research on OSAHS, 3) Present a clinical staging system that helps identify appropriate treatment and predict the success for individual patients, 4) Identify patients with mild to moderate disease and those who are CPAP intolerant who could benefit from minimally‐invasive and non‐invasive techniques, 5) Present non‐invasive treatment options that can be incorporated into an ENT practice. In addition to classical OSAHS treatment, the course will review a variety of polysomnogram systems and the strengths and weakness of each system. Our experience with Provent, a non‐CPAP, non‐invasive treatment option, will also be discussed in addition to thermoplastic mandibular advancement devices. Simplified systems to setup a joint venture with dental specialists for custom‐made devices will also be presented. Presenters will discuss the economics of establishing a comprehensive sleep apnea center. We will detail startup strategies and costs for establishing a multidisciplinary sleep apnea team and center. In addition, coding and reimbursement procedures will be explained to maximize revenue production. Audience discussion will be encouraged and ample time will be allotted for a question and answer session. Educational Objectives 1) Learn how to incorporate sleep testing into an ENT practice. 2) Learn an algorithm for successful treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. 3) Understand the approach for proper identification and treatment of each anatomic site. 4) Identify patients who can be helped by multilevel minimally invasive techniques rather than classic surgery. 5) Learn how and when to incorporate custom‐made mandibular advancement devices into an ENT/OSAHS practice.