repeatedly stops and starts while asleep .
If your partner complains about you snoring loudly or feeling tired even after a full night ’ s sleep , Dr Mohammad Ezani said chances are high you might have sleep apnea . “ It may not appear dangerous initially but there ’ s a disease component to the condition and can potentially damage the heart .”
Often caused by obesity , Dr Mohammad Ezani said sleep apnea happens when the tongue drops to the back of the mouth and blocks the airway while asleep .
“ The body naturally has a way of breathing on its own when it lacks oxygen in sleep . “ But if it happens every night , it could affect the heart and ultimately lead to heart failure .”
He also pointed out that the condition is quite common among Malaysians but many are undiagnosed because they don ’ t recognise it as a disease .
To diagnose this condition , the patient is required to undergo a sleep assessment at our Sleep Laboratory .
“ They spend a night at our sleep laboratory and are monitored by two nurses . The assessment includes their sleep pattern , oxygen levels and also signs of sleep apnea . The sleep specialist will then review the results and offer the most appropriate treatment option .
One of the option is , Dr Mohammad Ezani said those with the disorder will be given an oxygen mask to open up the airway .
“ We are also introducing home sleep study services for people with milder symptoms for early diagnosis and treatment .”
Due to the sleep apnea , Dr Mohammad Ezani said these patients may have microsleep issue , whereby they fall asleep whilst sitting and even driving without realising it . This has led to many to many road traffic accidents .
Team of experts The thoracic centre is backed with a team of experts in the area of cardiothoracic , thoracic surgery and imaging .
The team comprise of cardiothoracic surgeons , respiratory medicine specialists , anaesthesiologists , imaging specialists , infection control and a team of healthcare personnel .
“ At IJN we have comprehensive imaging services that comprise the X-Ray , CT scan , magnetic resonance imaging and nuclear scan to correctly diagnose the patient and decide the best treatment option .
The centre will also treat other types of thoracic-related complications such as hyperhidrosis ( excessive sweating ), pectus excavatum ( sunken chest ), among others .
Hyperhidrosis is a condition characterised by abnormal and chronic sweat , in excess of that required for the regulation of body temperature .
Commonest areas affected by the condition includes the hands ( palmar hyperhidrosis ) and feed ( plantar hyperhidrosis ) – usually in combination due to the high concentration of sweat glands .
Dr Mohammad Ezani said at the centre they have several non-surgical and surgical options to effectively treat the disorder .
The treatment options available in Malaysia include antiperspirants , anticholinergic agents , Iontophoresis and Botulinum Toxin , also known as Botox .
There is also a minimally invasive surgical treatment called endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy ( ETS ) to cure the condition .
According to Dr Mohammad Ezani the procedure involves cutting a portion of the sympathetic nerves that control the sweat glands , and the patient can be discharged the next day .
Pectus Excavatum ( PE ), on the other hand , is a progressive deformity of the chest wall that causes several ribs and the sternum ( breastbone ) to grow abnormally in an inward direction .
The condition , also known as “ sunken chest ”, may put pressure on the heart and lungs , causing cardiovascular and respiratory impairment in patients .
To treat the condition , Dr Mohammad Ezani said IJN offers a minimally invasive procedure that involves making two small cuts on either side of the chest to insert a customised stainless steel bracing bar into the chest cavity to brace and remodel the anterior chest wall .
The bar is left inside the chest for two to three years in children and three to five years in adults to mould the rib and sternum into the usual curved shape of a chest wall , before it can be removed in a simple outpatient procedure . Apart from invasive and non-invasive surgical treatments , the thoracic centre also conducts minimally invasive or video-assisted thoracic operations through small key-hole surgeries .
Dr Mohammad Ezani Mohd Taib IJN Private Healthcare Division head and director of operation
GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com NOVEMBER 2020
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