HOW WE CAN HELP YOU AT CSSC

CSSC is a unique multidisciplinary clinic to help patients with sleep disorders. Our team will help you organise a sleep study before you visit us. You will be given information on sleep apnea and treatment options.

A sleep study will enable us to get the best objective measurement of your sleep. We will also request that you fill in your health details online and forward any other relevant information. If you have sleep apnea, you may be seen at the Combined Sleep Clinic (CSSC). If you are already seeing a physician and require our input, we may get you assessed by our sleep surgeon alone.

We invite the partner to attend. Before your appointment, we will score your sleepiness. You will then be seen by two doctors, a sleep surgeon and a sleep physician. Before the consultation, the doctors will have a close review of your sleep study. They will look at the number of events, the severity of events, oxygen levels, and the sleep architecture in detail.

During your consultation, the doctors will have an open discussion about what you or your partner notices at night, daytime symptoms, and resultant medical concerns. We will understand the impact on work and social well-being. After that, both doctors will carefully assess your airway with endoscopy. The airway will be graded, and sites of collapse documented. Finally, we will use our algorithm to see if you have favorable anatomy for surgery.

At the end of the comprehensive assessment, doctors will have a very good understanding of your condition, sleep physiology, and sites of airway collapse. We will take into account your wishes. The basic rules are as follows.

1) If you have favourable anatomy for surgery, and you wish for surgery, this will be planned. The likely success rates will be discussed.

2) If you have less favourable anatomy for surgery, we will request a CPAP trial first. If CPAP fails, surgery will be offered. We have found that even patients with challenging anatomy regularly achieve success with our modern surgery. Some may need combination therapy, which is surgery plus a positional device, weight loss, or MAS (Mouth Guard).

3) Previous tonsillectomy patients are encouraged not to undergo surgery, as often the scar tissue prevents sufficient elevation of the palate and expansion of the airway. With education, most such patients are often happy to use a CPAP. Combination therapy (surgery and MAS) can help those who are intolerant of CPAP.

4) Those with mild sleep apnea with severe snoring will be first trialled on CPAP. If CPAP makes them feel refreshed, surgery can benefit them and can be a possible treatment option. Those who wish for surgery for snoring alone will be offered surgery if there are significant social concerns.

The surgery we offer is unique and encompasses some of the best aspects of tried and tested Australian techniques and European techniques. We have researched over the last 3 years to fine-tune and get the best possible results.

Management of sleep apnea is complex. Due to the unique collaboration between surgeon and physician, CSSC has delivered outstanding results to sleep apnea patients in Melbourne.

Team at CSSC Mornington.

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Disclaimer: The material and information contained in this blog are relevant to the time it was written, for general purposes and in addition to what was provided for patients during their consultation. You should not rely upon the material on this website as a basis for decision-making.