Drug Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) is a specialised procedure used to investigate obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) or snoring. It involves examining your airway with a small flexible camera while you are in a state of light sleep, induced with medication. This allows Dr Phillips to see which parts of your airway collapse during sleep and what type of collapse is occurring, which is not possible when you’re awake.
Understanding the pattern and level of airway collapse helps guide decisions about the most appropriate treatment, including surgery or other alternatives.
Dr Phillips often performs DISE in conjunction with nasal surgery (such as septoplasty or turbinate reduction), particularly in patients who are not yet ready for multilevel airway surgery. It may also be used in children with persistent OSA following adenotonsillectomy to assess ongoing causes of airway obstruction including lingual tonsil hypertrophy and sleep dependent laryngomalacia.
DISE is most commonly recommended in the following situations:
DISE provides valuable, individualised information about:
This helps Dr Phillips develop a personalised treatment plan tailored to your unique airway anatomy, rather than relying solely on standardised approaches.
DISE is generally a safe procedure. As with any test involving sedation, there are some potential risks, including:
The procedure is performed with close monitoring by a qualified anaesthetist to ensure your comfort and safety.
Without DISE, decisions regarding surgery may be based only on awake assessments and sleep study results, which while appropriate for certain patients may not show how your airway behaves during sleep.
Although imaging (such as CT or MRI) can reveal structural details, it does not show real-time collapse of the airway, which is crucial in understanding sleep-related breathing disorders.
You will need to fast for:
Specific fasting instructions will be provided by the hospital or anaesthetist.
Inform Dr Phillips if you are taking:
Some of these may need to be adjusted prior to the procedure.
If you are unwell with a fever, cold, or chest infection before the procedure, please contact our clinic. The procedure may need to be rescheduled for your safety.
Following DISE, Dr Phillips will:
For many patients, DISE helps avoid unnecessary surgery or confirms which surgical option is most likely to help.
Is DISE painful? No. You are sedated and will not feel or remember the procedure.
DISE itself is a diagnostic test, not a treatment. It helps guide the right treatment pathway, whether surgical or not.
Yes. Dr Phillips often combines DISE with nasal surgery (such as septoplasty or turbinate reduction) to reduce the need for multiple hospital visits or anaesthetics.
Yes. In select cases where a child continues to have OSA after adenotonsillectomy, DISE can help determine whether there is additional airway collapse and whether further treatment is needed.
If you’d like to discuss this procedure or explore suitable treatment options, please get in touch with Dr Nicholas Phillips’ clinic.
To book with Dr Phillips, you’ll need a referral from your GP or specialist. Questions? Call our team — we’re happy to help.
