Sleep study in Trivandrum.
I have been treating patients with OSA and Snoring since 1996. In India I started Laser and coblator surgery for patients with OSA and Snoring from 2008 onwards. So far, more than 500 patients underwent surgical treatment since 2008.I admit, not all patients can be treated by surgery, and those unable or unfit to undergo surgery are given CPAP.
As more and more patients are aware of the consequence of Snoring and OSA, and more patients are coming forward for surgical treatment, I find it important to do a sleep study in all if possible before surgery. Most patients are not happy to go to a sleep lab and spend all night in an unfamiliar place to sleep. Thus home sleep study is getting popular now a days.
What is sleep study?
Sleep studies allow doctors to measure how much and how well you sleep. They also help show whether you have sleep problems and how severe they are.
Sleep studies are important because untreated sleep disorders can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and other medical conditions. Sleep disorders also have been linked to an increased risk of injury due to falls and car accidents.
Although there are certain parameters we use to identify individuals who are likely to suffer this condition, the most accurate means of diagnosing sleep apnea is for the individual to undergo a detailed in-patient over night sleep study or Polysomnography (PSG) as it is universally known.
Polysomnography (PSG), also known as a sleep study, is a test used in the study of sleep and as a diagnostic tool in sleep medicine. The test result is called a polysomnogram, also abbreviated PSG.
For studying the quality of sleep, electrodes are applied to the scalp, sides of the head and under the chin, chest and leg. This lets us measure brain waves, heart rate, and eye movements. A sensor is placed by the nose and mouth for measurement of airflow. Belts are placed around the rib cage and abdomen for measurement of breathing movements. A clip is placed on a finger for measurement of blood oxygen levels. Other measurements may be done as required. There are no needles and no pain. The electrodes are connected to a box by the bedside for relaying the signals to a machine for interpretation.
PSG records the following variables while the subject is asleep: electroencephalogram (EEG) to monitor sleep states, electrooculogram (EOG) for monitoring eyes, electromyogram (EMG) for muscle tone (all three of these variables help to distinguish REM [muscle atonia, rapid eye movements, saw tooth waves on the EEG] from NREM sleep); respiratory airflow by nasal probe and differential pressure transducer; respiratory effort (e.g., by bands placed around the chest and abdomen); arterial oxygen saturation; and EMG of the anterior tibialis muscles to monitor for the presence of periodic leg movements during sleep.
Measurements obtained from such instruments are integrated to record sleep stage and the presence of apneas, hypopneas, and snoring-related arousals. The AHI is calculated from the number of apneas plus hypopneas per hour.
For some patients who have sleep apnea, the effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) are evaluated. Usually these are patients who have had a previous sleep study to diagnose the condition. During the CPAP study, everything is done as for a diagnostic study. Patients generally finish from the study around 6:30 to 7 in the morning.
Advantage
You can have your sleep study at a time when it is convenient to you, and in the comfort of your own home. The report will be given next day morning. The charge for the overnight sleep study and report is approx. Rs 5000 in and around Trivandrum.
For the sake of your health and that of your loved ones, why wait too long when you can have your sleep study tomorrow? Please note, help is at hand. The latest and most technically advanced domiciliary sleep study equipment available now in Trivandrum.
Contact ENT clinic at Jubilee hospital, Trivandrum or email drpaulose@yahoo.com
