Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition in which the airway becomes blocked during sleep, causing the patient to stop breathing for brief periods of time. Sleep apnea may lead to poor sleep and fatigue and over time may contribute to heart and lung failure and even death, if severe and left untreated. Treatment is aimed and relieving the obstruction to allow for better airflow during sleep. The gold standard treatment is a CPAP machine - a mask placed over the nose, mouth or both which blows air with pressure into the airway to keep it open and unobstructed. Various operations may also be offered to remove or bypass the areas of obstruction in the airway.
