A team of researchers has determined that rhinoplasty could influence the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.

A team of researchers headed by Westport facial surgery specialist Dr. Howard Stupak has determined rhinoplasty – commonly referred to as nose jobs – could influence the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, a breathing malady with a string of related health woes ranging from irritability to hypertension that affects 20 percent of the population.

In a study published in the December issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – and selected by the journal in June as an editor’s pick – Stupak and his team from Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Tulane University School of Medicine found that rhinoplasty done solely for breathing problems provided better treatment for obstructive sleep apnea than standard treatments, such as throat or facial surgery. The study also found rhinoplasty outperformed use of a mask known as a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) worn at night.

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