Man Dies After Snoring Surgery Goes Horribly Wrong in Sangareddy, Telangana
A 45-year-old man, V Srinivas, died just a few hours after the surgery to alleviate bad snoring was performed on him at a private hospital in Sangareddy.
Srinivas, a native of Garakurthi in Kondapur Mandal, had undergone treatment for his ailment and was promised complete recovery by the physicians at Padmavathi Neuro and Multi-Speciality Hospital. The surgery was performed late on Wednesday night, but he allegedly died of a heart attack after the operation.
After his sudden death, his relatives and family members organized a protest at the hospital on Thursday, blaming the medical staff and management. The protest took a turn for the worse with angry relatives vandalizing hospital property. The police intervention did not ease tension as more members of the public turned up demanding an explanation.
Srinivas's death has prompted authorities to begin an investigation into whether medical negligence contributed to his death.
Understanding Snoring: Causes, Concerns, and Solutions
Snoring is a natural event that can disrupt peaceful sleep. It occurs when airflow is partially restricted when breathing through the nose or mouth during sleep, creating vibrations in the tissue of the throat that cause a rattling or snorting noise. Occasional snoring is usually innocuous, though persistent and heavy snoring can be a sign of underlying medical conditions.
Why Do People Snore?
Snoring is the result of an obstruction in the airway caused by many things, such as nasal congestion, obesity, drinking alcohol, or the sagging of throat muscles while asleep. Almost everyone snores sometimes or another, including infants and children. Chronic snoring and a loud one could be indicative of a more underlying condition, e.g., sleep apnea—a condition that creates temporary stoppages in breathing during sleep.
When Should You Be Concerned?
If snoring is joined by symptoms such as gasping for air, daytime drowsiness, or irritability, consultation with a physician may be required. Snoring has been found to be often associated with increased risks for ailments like high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
Managing and Treating Snoring?
Lifestyle modifications can minimize snoring in mild cases. These include:
Keeping the body at a healthy weight
Staying away from alcohol consumption before bed
Side sleeping rather than back sleeping
Nasal passage clearing
In certain situations, medical procedures like special equipment or surgery are advised to cure chronic snoring. These treatments are not always required and must be considered according to individual needs.[1,2]
Surgical Treatments for Snoring and Sleep Apnea:
Surgical interventions for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea are intended to enlarge the airway, excise obstructive tissues, or establish a bypass airway. One of the original and most well-recognized procedures, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), was first introduced in 1981. It entails the resection of the uvula, a portion of the soft palate, and the tonsils to enlarge the airway, with the aim of decreasing snoring, sleep apnea events, and daytime somnolence.
More surgical methods have been established over time, such as laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) and radiofrequency tissue ablation, both of which can be done under local anesthesia. Other surgical procedures are:
Tracheostomy, making an opening in the windpipe to bypass airway obstructions.
Mandibular and tongue-related surgeries, such as inferior sagittal mandibular osteotomy, genioglossus advancement, and hyoid myotomy.
Palatal and nasal procedures, including expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty, palatal implants, nasal procedures, and epiglottoplasty for laryngomalacia cases.
Maxillomandibular advancement (MMA), which advances the upper and lower jaw to widen the airway.
Even with access to these procedures, their success is controversial. Systematic reviews have called into question the long-term success of surgical procedures for sleep-disordered breathing, and laser uvulopalatopharyngoplasty is not commonly advised as an intervention for sleep apnea. Few studies also have been conducted on the risks and side effects of these surgeries. Still, surgical treatment is chosen by many to treat chronic snoring and sleep apnea symptoms. [3]
References:
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Snoring: Symptoms & Causes." Mayo Clinic, 2025. Accessed February 20, 2025. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/snoring/symptoms-causes/syc-20377694.
Cleveland Clinic Staff. "Snoring." Cleveland Clinic, 2025. Accessed February 20, 2025. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15580-snoring.
Hoffstein, Victor. "Pathophysiology and Treatment of Primary Snoring." Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine 4, no. 3 (2008): 261–272. Accessed February 20, 2025. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2625321/.
(Input from various media sources)
(Rehash/Sai Sindhuja K/MSM)
