OBJECTIVETo summarize experiences of serious perioperative complications management of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), and evaluate the effect of intervention in decreasing the incidence of serious complications.

METHODSRetrospective analysis of clinical data in Shenyang General Hospital of PLA and Liaoning Province Jinqiu Hospital of OSAHS surgery cases from January 1995 to December 2009 were included in this study, patients were divided into two groups according to with or without intervention. Experience and lessons were analyzed.

RESULTSPatients without and with intervention were 402 and 521 respectively, and uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) cases in each group were 387 and 390. Five patients in the first group who accepted UPPP had breathing difficulty and were all successfully rescued, while no one in the second group had breathing difficulty. The difference was significant (P < 0.05). Sixteen patients in the first group had severe bleeding after UPPP, while only 5 patients had the severe bleeding in the second group. The difference was significant, too P < 0.05. No breathing difficulty cases in the second group, and serious bleeding cases in each group was 5 and in 1, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSBreath difficulty and serious bleeding are serious perioperative complications of OSAHS surgery, and with systemic intervention the incidence of the complications can be decreased.