Characteristics, Risk Factors, and Long-Term Outcomes of Dysphagia Following Modified Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Authors

Yujie Yan, Ran Shi, Qi Wang, Renyu Guo, Hui Yao, Wen Wang, Rui Lin

Published in

Clinical otolaryngology : official journal of ENT-UK ; official journal of Netherlands Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Cervico-Facial Surgery. Oct 04, 2026. Epub Oct 04, 2026.

Abstract

Modified Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (mUPPP) is a standard surgical intervention for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS), but postoperative dysphagia remains an underdiagnosed and poorly managed complication due to the lack of standardised assessment protocols. This prospective mixed-methods observational study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics, independent risk factors, and long-term outcomes of dysphagia following mUPPP.
A prospective observational study was conducted on 120 OSAHS patients undergoing mUPPP. A mixed-methods assessment (EAT-10, interviews, and FEES) was performed at 2 weeks, 1, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors.
The rate of patients screening positive for clinically significant dysphagia symptoms (EAT-10 ≥ 3, patient-reported screening threshold) was 63.3% at 2 weeks postoperatively. FEES confirmed pathological swallowing abnormalities, such as delayed pharyngeal response and aspiration risk, in over 94% of EAT-10-positive patients. Four independent risk factors were identified: female gender, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), anxiety/depression, and excessive daytime sleepiness (ESS ≥ 10). Symptoms persisted in approximately 19.2% of patients at 6 months and 9.2% at 12 months, with patients having multiple risk factors showing a significantly higher risk of long-term persistence.
Dysphagia is a common and persistent sequela following mUPPP. The combination of EAT-10 and FEES is recommended for comprehensive postoperative monitoring. Preoperative identification and management of risk factors (gender, GERD, psychological status, and sleepiness) are crucial for risk stratification and implementing personalised interventions to reduce the burden of persistent dysphagia.

PMID:
42830115
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 05 Oct 2026.

Read full publication at:
Please sign in to see all details.

Stats

1-terrible, 9-excellent. How would you rate this publication? Sign in in to submit your rating.

Post a comment

You need to be signed in to post comments. You can sign in here.

Comments

There are no comments yet.