Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Are There Minimally Invasive Soft Tissue Surgical Options?

Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is prevalent around the world. The condition is associated with multiple medical problems if left untreated. In recent years, minimally invasive surgery for snoring and OSA have become increasingly popular. These techniques are safe, provides quicker recovery compared to traditional surgical methods, and are able to achieve successful outcomes in carefully selected candidates.

This talk focuses on when to consider surgery for snoring and OSA and introduces the latest advances in minimally invasive soft tissue techniques.

Our Speaker

​Dr. Soon Sue Rene is a senior Ear Nose Throat (ENT) specialist and is one of the very few in Singapore who holds certified fellowship training in both children and adult ENT. With her training and vast experience in children and adult ENT, she is well versed in managing ENT conditions such as rhinitis/sinus, adeno-tonsillar hypertrophy, thyroid and laryngeal conditions which are the contributing factors to OSA in the different age groups.

Dr. Soon was an Adjunct Assistant Professor with the Department of ENT – Head and Neck Surgery at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) and Visiting Consultant to the Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital Singapore, prior to her appointment as the Head of Division of Otorhinolaryngology at Asian Healthcare Specialists. She set up the NTFGH Sleep Surgery Service and was the surgical lead, instrumental in integrating surgical care as part of the NTFGH Sleep Multidisciplinary Team. She is well known for her Minimally Invasive Snoring, OSA surgical techniques, and is a regular international and local teaching faculty to fellow surgeons.

Dr. Soon obtained her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery and completed her Masters of Medicine in Otolaryngology from the National University of Singapore. She subsequently underwent further clinical training in Pediatric Otolaryngology at the prestigious Stollery Children’s Hospital in Canada, where she gained valuable experience in managing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), airways and sinus problems in children. She was thereafter awarded the Health Manpower Development Plan scholarship at the renowned G.B. Morgagni, L Pierantoni Hospital in Italy, where she completed her second subspecialty clinical training in Adult Snoring, Sleep Disordered Breathing Surgery, Transoral Robotic Surgery and Advanced Surgical Head and Neck Oncology.

Dr. Soon is also active in education and research. She was the Undergraduate ENT Director and was a regular examiner at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore. In research, she has given award-winning presentations in both international and local conferences, published in numerous peer-reviewed medical journals and has co-authored chapters in ENT textbooks. She was also a previous NUS medical society award winner for her contribution to volunteer associations.