SURGERY REDUCES ACCIDENT RISK IN SLEEP APNEA PATIENTS

Sleepiness at the wheel is a significant contributing factor to motor vehicle accidents. A new analysis published in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery reveals that for people with sleep apnea, getting surgery for their condition may lessen their risk of such accidents compared with using a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device at night or receiving no treatment.

In the analysis of data on 2,832,437 patients with obstructive sleep apnea, 3.4% of patients who underwent surgery were in a car accident at any point following their diagnosis, compared with 6.1% of those using a CPAP and 4.7% of those not receiving any treatment.

Patients receiving no treatment had 21% higher odds of motor vehicle accidents compared with the surgery group. The surgery group had 45% lower odds compared with the CPAP group.

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2025-01-22T11:15:21Z