Many newspapers reported today that Ed Miliband, leader of the Labour party, has had successful surgery on his nose to correct a breathing problem. According to The Daily Telegraph, Miliband revealed in April that he has a condition called “sleep apnoea, which interrupts breathing during sleep, made worse by a deviated septum in his nose”. The Independent reported that the “hour-long NHS procedure took place at the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital in central London”.
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a relatively common condition that causes interrupted breathing during sleep. Most people with OSA snore loudly and their breathing may be noisy and laboured.
A deviated nasal septum occurs when the thin wall of cartilage between the two nasal cavities is slightly displaced to one side. If this displacement is significant it can obstruct breathing and cause snoring.
Ed Miliband
There are several treatments for sleep apnoea, depending on what is causing the breathing obstruction. Many cases can be treated by making lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, avoiding alcohol and quitting smoking.
Based on the news reports, Miliband’s sleep apnoea may have been caused or exacerbated by a deviated septum. One option for treating this is to have surgery called a septoplasty, which involves repositioning the septum with the aim of reducing snoring and disruption of the breathing pattern during sleep. It is important to note that not all people with OSA have a deviated nasal septum, and not all people with a deviated nasal septum have OSA or need surgery.
Anyone experiencing sleep disturbance or excessive snoring that is causing them concern should consult their doctor to discuss the best course of action for them.
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Nasal surgery does not always relieve snoring and sleep problems, a survey has suggested.
Labour leader Ed Miliband underwent surgery to correct a deviated septum earlier this week – aimed at curing his sleep apnoea.
But a survey of 2,000 patients by the British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Association found 80% said surgery had not worked for them.
A spokeswoman said their survey showed other treatments help more.
Mr Miliband is currently recovering at home after his operation before leaving for a summer holiday.
Sources close to the Labour leader dismissed media speculation he he was hoping the operation would make his voice sound less nasal.
Sources who spoke to the Labour leader after the procedure had been carried said he sounded “exactly the same”.
The “gold standard” treatment for sleep apnoea is CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), where patients wear a mask at night to help them breath.
The BSSAA website survey in June this year found 10% reported their snoring worsened after the procedure.
And 14% said their snoring stopped initially – but for half of this group it started again within six months.
It is estimated that around four in 100 middle-aged men and two in 100 middle-aged women have OSA (obstructive sleep apnoea) in the UK.
It is a respiratory condition in which the throat repeatedly narrows or closes during sleep, stopping air getting into the lungs and waking the person up.
Extremely loud heavy snoring, often interrupted by pauses and gasps, is one of the main symptoms.
The NHS Choices website states: “Surgery to treat OSA is usually not recommended because evidence shows that it is not as effective as CPAP in controlling the symptoms.”
A spokeswoman for the BSSAA said: “For snoring and sleep apnoea, there are other treatments that are non-invasive. We advise trying everything else, including CPAP which is the gold treatment, before surgery.
“There is no guarantee that will work”.
But she added: “As Ed Miliband has gone to one of the best hospitals to deal with this, there must have been reasons he had this procedure.
“We hope it works for him.”