Intergrated Care For Sleep Disordered Breathing

The condition of sleep disordered breathing covers a wide range of clinical variability from mild snoring to severe sleep apnoea. Many patients, and their clinicians, are unaware where exactly on that continuum they stand. Moreover once accurately diagnosed, the morass of available treatment is confusing, and the advice given on management may depend more on the perspective of the consultant than on the optimal treatment for a particular patient.

The Sleep Surgery Centre and CanSleep Services have jointly formulated a solution to this problem. A center for the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disordered breathing under one roof has been established at 2963 Glen Drive, Coquitlam, B.C. Here we offer full diagnostic services and all modes of treatment as a complete and integrated service for physicians and the public.

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT:

Diagnosis includes a full medical history, video fiber optic examination of the upper airway to establish level of obstruction, and free home oximetry. Only on the basis of both level-of-obstruction and severity can optimal treatment be selected. Once appropriately selected, treatment is entirely available on the premises, whether by CPAP, mandibular advancement splint, diet and lifestyle counseling, psychiatric consultation, or out-patient surgery involving laser, radio-frequency or injection to the palate.

Some will still require non-local facilities such as polysomnography and in-hospital surgery and the center is set up to readily facilitate these.

REFERRAL:

The Sleep Surgery Centre exists, as for many years now, to provide diagnosis, advice concerning individualised treatment selection, and where appropriate, surgery. Referrals for this will remain unchanged.

Referral directly to CanSleep Services may be appropriate in either of these situations:

1. for overnight home oximetry (this is charged neither to the patient nor to MSP).
2. for non-surgical treatment such as trial of CPAP, mandibular advancement splint, or dietary and lifestyle counseling, where full diagnosis has already established the need for such treatment.

We believe that one-stop, under-one-roof, integration of care will provide the best service for sleep disordered breathing patients, and will help find and treat many who remain undiagnosed or under-treated, with the considerable morbidity and mortality that goes along with this condition.

Richard R.J. Smyth, M.B.B.S., F.R.C.S.
Winter, 2004

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Sleep Surgery Centre Inc. 303 - 2963 Glen Drive, Coquitlam, Vancouver, B.C. Canada V3B 2P7
Tel: 604-941-2344 Fax: 604-941-2455 E-mail: info@sleepsurgerycentre.com