World Sleep Congress 2025: Inside the First Sleep Surgery Cadaver Workshop
Faculty and participants at the inaugural Sleep Surgery Cadaver Workshop, World Sleep Congress 2025, Singapore.
A global team of surgeons from 14 countries came together to teach, learn, and advance the future of sleep surgery.
A Milestone in Sleep Surgery Education
This year at the World Sleep Congress, we hosted the inaugural Sleep Surgery Cadaver Workshop as a pre-congress course. We were fortunate that many renowned sleep surgeons were already attending the congress — and were willing to teach their craft at the highest level. What made the workshop exceptional was the support from the SARC team in Singapore. Back in 2019, we held a memorable sleep surgery meeting with SARC — one that laid the foundation for what became this year’s success.
Morning: Minimally Invasive Techniques for SDB and OSA
We began the day exploring minimally invasive procedures for sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), demonstrating a variety of nasal and palatopharyngoplasty techniques.
TORS and Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation (Inspire and Nyxoah)
We continued with a video demonstration of robotic tongue base surgery (TORS), followed by live surgical instruction of hypoglossal nerve stimulation, showcasing both Inspire and Nyxoah approaches.
Midday: Virtual Surgical Planning Across Continents
During lunch, we heard from three surgeons across three continents, each presenting their approach to virtual surgical planning for skeletal sleep surgery — offering learners a global perspective on planning.
Afternoon: Maxillary Expansion, GGA, and MMA
The afternoon began with endoscopic and open approaches to maxillary expansion, guided genioglossus/genioplasty advancement, and concluded with maxillomandibular advancement — bringing the entire spectrum of sleep surgery into view within a day.
Global Adaptability and Core Principles
The goal of pre-congress courses at World Sleep is to provide broad exposure and foundational knowledge. It’s not possible to master every technique in one day — but it is possible to inspire, to connect, and to give participants a picture of what’s possible in the evolving field of sleep surgery. We were mindful that surgical approaches differ across countries — so our teaching emphasized core principles and adaptable techniques, no matter the resources or setting.
Gratitude and Global Collaboration
My sincere thanks go to my co-directors, Dr. Maria Suurna and Dr. Jernlin Leong, for their vision, leadership, and partnership in shaping the course. I am also indebted to the World Sleep Society, led by Allan OBryan, Angie Granum, and Tyler Ringstad, who have contributed so much to sleep medicine.
And above all, I am deeply grateful to the faculty — surgeons from 14 different countries — who spent the entire day teaching, demonstrating, and mentoring, sleeves rolled up, energy unwavering. Your dedication transcended jetlag, and your passion elevated the entire experience.
Looking Ahead: Innovation by Integration
I want to end the blog with a slide from Dr. Nelson Powell, reflecting on the early beginnings of sleep surgery. From pioneering early concepts to today’s precision-based, multidisciplinary approaches, our journey has been one of constant growth and discovery.
Here’s to the next chapter — to continued innovation by integration, with the shared mission of restoring sleep breathing health for wellness. Let’s stay connected.
Dr. Nelson Powell shared the quote at his Le Chevalier lecture.
Photos are from me, with my mentors from 1980s to 2010s.
