Robotic surgery improves sleep apnea

NEW YORK - (CBS) - As many as 12 million Americans suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, which can cause all kinds of health problems ranging from depression to impotence to a heart attack. A new surgery uses robotic technology to help people get some much-needed rest.

Judy Oderwald was one of those sufferers. Her airway closed during sleep, causing her to snore and stop breathing hundreds of times each night.

A revolutionary new surgery that uses robotic technology has completely changed Judy's life. "Now when I go to bed I have to fight to go to sleep. The other times I would hit the pillow and that would be it."

Surgeon Jeffrey Ahn at NY Presbyterian/Columbia is using robotic tools to go through a patient's mouth, cutting out excess lymphoid tissue. The technology lets him operate in a place that until now was difficult to reach with human hands.

"This is really an amazing technology that boosts the ability of the surgeon," said Ahn. It's only recommended for those who've tried everything else, from a breathing mask to partial surgeries.

Judy Oderwald had a sore throat and some discomfort while her incisions healed but because of the robotic surgery she says she finally getting good sleep.
 
Some patients will also have difficulty swallowing in the first months after surgery, but the problem usually resolves quickly.