How to Manage Complete Concentric Collapse of the Velum

Monday, October 19, 2026

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM PT

Location: 403B

Moderator(s)

Thomas M. Kaffenberger, MD

Physician
University of Pittsburgh Department of Otolaryngology
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Panelist(s)

Julianna G. Rodin, MD

Assistant Professor
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA, United States
Sebastian M. Jara, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor, Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
Keck School of Medicine of USC
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Pedro M. Gomes de Oliveira, MD

Assistant Professor
Stanford School of Medicine
Stanford, California, United States

This panel provides a practical approach to managing complete concentric collapse (CCC) of the velum in obstructive sleep apnea. Attendees will learn to identify CCC on drug-induced sleep endoscopy, counsel patients on outcomes, and select first-line therapies. The session covers nonsurgical options—PAP optimization, oral appliance therapy, and GLP-1 receptor agonists—and surgical techniques including modified pharyngoplasty and maxillomandibular advancement. Through case discussions, panelists will demonstrate decision-making, address controversies surrounding CCC's prognostic significance, and discuss sequencing staged procedures when initial treatment fails. Attendees will leave with a structured framework for this challenging collapse pattern.

Learning Objectives:

Identify and accurately characterize complete concentric collapse of the velum on drug-induced sleep endoscopy.
Recognize nonsurgical treatment options for CCC, including PAP optimization strategies, oral appliance therapy, and GLP-1 receptor agonists.
Select appropriate surgical interventions for CCC, including anatomic altering surgeries such as pharyngoplasty techniques and skeletal surgery, based on patient-specific factors.