Endoscopic Coblation Lingual Tonsillectomy

1

Introduction

For the clinician and surgeon treating patients with obstructed sleep apnea and related maladies, the retrolingual airway is of great importance. This area, often difficult to examine and identify as an area of concern, has recently been the site of much academic and surgical attention. For with its difficult location comes increased complexity in surgical cure, plagued with both intra-operative and postoperative challenges. Although the palatal–pharyngeal area is often the site of primary obstruction in patients with sleep apnea, there are often areas of secondary blockage, and the tongue base may be an area of interest with the added concern of hypertrophic lingual tonsils.