Sleep endoscopy, also known as sleep nasendoscopy (SNE) or drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE), is a powerful tool for studying the dynamic airway in a sleeping patient with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Using the knowledge gained from sleep endoscopy, the surgeon can tailor the operative procedure to the patient's specific condition.
Due to the difficulty in establishing the site of obstruction in the conscious patient who carries a diagnosis of OSA, the diagnosis and treatment of OSA is a complex and multidimensional issue. The first proposed sleep endoscopy was performed in 1991. Using midazolam as a sedating agent, the procedure demonstrated the utility of passing a fiberoptic endoscope through a sleeping patient’s nasal cavity to assess pharyngeal structures for evidence of obstruction. They were able to induce the preexisting snoring in 95% of their patients.
This procedure greatly increases the precision of care for patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).
In this video, the patient also kindly shares his experience with us, and elaborates on what drove him to seek out a Drug Induced Sleep Endoscopy.
The expert anesthesiologist, and collaborating dental sleep medicine specialist also offer their notes on the procedure. Today most DISE procedures including this one are performed with propofol as the sedating agent, whereas leading researchers are exploring other medications such as dexmedetomidine as the preferred drug for sleep induction.
