Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the most prescribed treatment for obstructive sleep apnea — but it doesn't work for everyone. When CPAP therapy fails, whether because of mask discomfort, pressure intolerance, or simply an inability to sleep while wearing it, surgery is a meaningful alternative for many patients. Beach Cities ENTS in Torrance evaluates and treats sleep apnea surgically for patients throughout the South Bay, including El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, and the surrounding communities.
There is no single sleep apnea surgery. The right procedure depends entirely on where in your airway the obstruction is occurring — and that varies significantly from one patient to the next. Our approach begins with a careful evaluation to map your anatomy before recommending any intervention.
Why the Surgical Evaluation Matters
The single most important factor in sleep apnea surgery outcomes is identifying the level of obstruction before operating. Obstructive sleep apnea can originate at the level of the nose, the soft palate and uvula, the tongue base, or any combination of these — and operating at the wrong level produces poor results. At Beach Cities ENTS, your evaluation includes a thorough upper airway examination, nasal endoscopy, and, when indicated, a drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) performed under light sedation to observe your airway collapse in real time.
This diagnostic step — understanding where your airway closes during sleep — is what separates a thoughtful surgical plan from guesswork. Patients traveling from Torrance, El Segundo, and across the South Bay for a surgical consultation should expect this level of evaluation before any procedure is recommended.
Surgical Options for Sleep Apnea
For obstruction at the soft palate and throat, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) removes and repositions excess tissue to widen the upper airway. It is the most commonly performed sleep apnea procedure and is most effective when the palate is the primary site of collapse. For patients with large tonsils, tonsillectomy alone can produce significant AHI reduction. For tongue base obstruction, options include radiofrequency tongue base reduction or tongue suspension procedures that hold the tongue forward during sleep.
For patients with significant nasal obstruction contributing to their apnea or making CPAP intolerable, nasal surgery — septoplasty, turbinate reduction, or balloon sinuplasty — addresses the upstream problem. For carefully selected patients who meet the eligibility criteria, the Inspire® hypoglossal nerve stimulator is an implantable device option that works from inside the body without any external equipment. Many patients need a combination of procedures targeting multiple levels.
What to Expect from Surgery
Recovery and outcomes vary by procedure. UPPP is performed under general anesthesia and typically involves an overnight hospital stay, with one to two weeks of throat soreness during recovery. Tongue base procedures and nasal surgeries generally have shorter recoveries. Inspire® implantation is outpatient, with recovery of one to two weeks before returning to normal activity.
No sleep apnea surgery can guarantee a cure — success depends on the accuracy of the preoperative evaluation, the patient's anatomy, and whether all contributing levels of obstruction are addressed. Most patients see a meaningful reduction in AHI and improvement in sleep quality. A follow-up sleep study after recovery confirms how much the procedure helped and whether any additional treatment is warranted.
Beach Cities ENTS Reviews
Very knowledgeable and personable - She has been seeing our son since he was one year old for ongoing ENT-related issues. She has helped us navigate complicated issues and seems to favor lowest level of intervention medically required, which we prefer. She always seems genuinely happy to see her patients and she is good with him. We will continue to see her only as long as she is practicing.
A++
Dr. Levine was great. My Son had surgery and he made us feel comfortable and confident throughout the entire process. He even called on a Sunday to see how he was doing. He was professional, caring, and took the time to answer all of our questions. I am in healthcare and am really particular. The office staff was also friendly, welcoming, and efficient, making every visit a pleasant experience. I highly recommend Dr.Levine and his entire team.
I highly recommend the clinic staff for the great job and their passions that they show to their patients, in and out! thank you guys!!!
Excellent. Got in at my exact scheduled time. Staff is awesome.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is surgery a better option than CPAP for sleep apnea?
Surgery is generally considered when CPAP therapy has been tried and found intolerable or ineffective, or when there is a clear anatomic cause that CPAP cannot adequately compensate for — such as very large tonsils, a severely deviated septum contributing significantly to obstruction, or anatomy that makes CPAP fit impossible. Some patients with mild apnea and isolated nasal obstruction do very well with nasal surgery alone. An evaluation at Beach Cities ENTS will clarify which pathway makes sense for your specific anatomy and history.
What is UPPP and how effective is it?
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty removes and tightens tissue at the soft palate, uvula, and pharyngeal walls to widen the upper airway. It is performed under general anesthesia, typically with an overnight hospital stay. Success rates depend heavily on patient selection — for patients whose primary obstruction is the soft palate (confirmed on DISE), UPPP produces significant AHI reduction in the majority of cases. For patients with multilevel obstruction or significant tongue base involvement, UPPP alone is less effective, and additional procedures are usually needed.
Can nasal surgery alone fix sleep apnea?
Nasal surgery rarely cures OSA on its own because the critical collapse typically occurs at the soft palate or tongue base. However, nasal obstruction worsens apnea severity and significantly reduces CPAP tolerability. Correcting a deviated septum or reducing enlarged turbinates often lowers AHI modestly and makes other treatments — CPAP, oral appliances, or additional surgery — much more manageable. For many South Bay patients, addressing the nasal component is a necessary step in the overall treatment plan.
How do I know which sleep apnea surgery is right for me?
The answer requires knowing where your airway collapses — something that cannot be determined from symptoms alone. Beach Cities ENTS begins with a comprehensive upper airway evaluation, which typically includes nasal endoscopy and a drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE). The DISE shows us exactly where obstruction occurs during sleep, which lets us design a targeted surgical plan. If you've been told you have sleep apnea and are not sure what to do next, that evaluation is the right starting point.
Will I still need CPAP after sleep apnea surgery?
That depends on how much the surgery reduces your AHI. Some patients may no longer need CPAP after treatment, while others may still benefit from it at lower pressures or in combination with other therapies. Others see a significant reduction that makes CPAP tolerable at lower pressures. A post-operative sleep study, typically done three to six months after surgery, gives an objective answer. Our goal at Beach Cities ENTS is to reduce your dependence on CPAP as much as your anatomy allows — but we give honest expectations before surgery, not promises.