Anterior:  The front part of an object.

Anesthesia:  A physical state in which feeling is lost. It can be local, regional, or general.  If
    general anesthesia is used, then the person is unconscious for the surgery.

Anesthetic:  A drug used to numb an area or to induce unconsciousness in order to make a
    surgery tolerable by the patient.

Apnea:  Cessation of breathing for at least 10 seconds.

Apnea Index (AI):  Average number of cessations in breathing lasting 10 seconds or longer
    in one hour.  This is one way of measuring the severity of sleep apnea.

BiPAP:  An acronym for Bi-level Continuous Positive Air Pressure. This is an advanced
    variation of a CPAP machine, but uses different air pressures for inhalation and exhalation.
    These are used when users of CPAP machines have difficulty breathing against the
    pressure from the machine. In SOME cases, it may reduce stomach bloating due to
    swallowed air.

Button Cannula:  A type of cannula that just barely goes into the trachea and does not go
    down in.  A Montgomery cannula is a type of button cannula.

Cannula:  A tube that goes into an opening into the body.

Central Sleep Apnea:  A condition where the lungs receive no signal from the brain to breathe
    during sleep.  The loss of the “drive” to breath is lost for at least 10 seconds at a time.

Cork:  A plug that is used to close off the opening in a cannula.

CPAP:  An acronym for Continuous Positive Air Pressure. This is a machine that has a mask
    that goes over the nose and possibly the mouth. The unit provides increased air pressure
    to help overcome obstructions that are associated with obstructive sleep apnea. However,
    these units do not work well for many patients and tend to cause stomach bloating and
    conjunctivitis.

  Please note that physical designs vary greatly.

Crusts:  Dried up drainage that often forms around a stoma, particularly around a new one
    These can be swabbed off with saline solution or a 50:50 mixture of saline solution and
    hydrogen peroxide. It is usually dark brown and/or dark red.

Cuff:  An air-inflatable bulb that some Jackson cannulas have. These generally not used
    unless the patient is on a mechanical ventilator.

Note the bulb that is at the end of the cannula and is inflated.

Decannulation:  The removal of a cannula. It may be intentional or accidental.

Decannulation Cap:  The red cap that some Jackson cannula users have so that they can
    close off the cannula so that they can speak and cough normally. It is also used to wean
    a person off of a tracheal cannula if he or she has been dependent on it.

Elevation:  The raising of the head and chest portions of the body. This sometimes helps
    with obstructive sleep apnea. This is done with a recliner chair, adjustable bed, or bed
    wedge.

Encrustation:  The formation of crusts around a stoma.  See Crusts.

Fenestrate:  To make a hole into. USUALLY you will see quote "fenestrated," which means
    that the object has a hole in it.

Fenestrator:  A surgical tool used to create a lumen (hole) into the trachea.

Full Mask:  A mask used with CPAP and BiPAP machines which fits over the mouth and nose
    These are needed if the person breathes primarily through the mouth and/or has a hole in the
    roof of his or her mouth going into the nasal passage.

Granulation Tissue:  Unwanted growth that often occurs after a recent tracheostomy. Usually,
    these can be cut out without numbing, for the pain is usually not severe.

Head Gear:  A nasal or full mask connected to a series of straps used to hold the mask in place
    during sleep. This is used with CPAP and BiPAP machines.

Horizontal Recumbent Position:  A body position where a person is lying flat on his or her back.
    It is usually the worst position for obstructive sleep apnea.

Hypercapnia:  Excessive carbon dioxide in the blood.

Hypersomnia:  Prolonged or too much sleep.  In adults, this usually means NORMALLY
    sleeping more than 9-10 hours a day.

Hypopnea:  Breathing that is less than normal efficiency.

Hypoxia:  Unusual lack of oxygen saturation in arterial blood.

Jackson Cannula:  A type of cannula that is curved downward and has an outer faceplate.
    These require a string or trach tie to hold the cannula in place.

Laser Assisted Uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP):  A surgery where tissues are burnt from the
    throat.  However, it works better at reducing or eliminating snoring than sleep apnea.

Lidocaine:  A drug commonly injected in the neck area to numb the area for a tracheotomy or
    tracheostomy if no general anesthesia is used. While this stuff works well, it tends to sting
    when injected.

Lumen:  A hole in a tube. After a tracheostomy, there is a lumen in the front of the tracheal wall.

Mandibular Advancement:  A major surgery where the lower jaw is pulled forward.

Mandibular Maxillary Osteotomy and Advancement (MMOA):  A major surgery dealing with
    the jaws.

Mature Tract:  A surgically made path from the outside to the trachea which is well established.
    It takes at least about three weeks to get a mature tract. This is required for some types of
    cannulas. However, ANY cannula in place will help a tract become mature.

Micro-arousal:  An episode where a sleeper partially awakes, but is not aware of it.  This is
    typical during apnea events, and this greatly reduces sleep quality.

Micro-sleep:  A situation where a person dozes off for no more than a few seconds.

Mixed Sleep Apnea:  A form of sleep apnea where the airway gets obstructed, AND the person
    temporarily loses the “drive” to breathe during sleep.  This is the worst form of sleep
    apnea.

Montgomery Cannula:  A type of cannula that is straight. These are very well suited for severe
    sleep apnea that does not respond well to other methods of treating it.

Mucous Plug:  A ball or mass of gook that can form in a tracheal cannula. These hinder the per-
    formance of a cannula. In cases where people are TOTALLY dependent on a tracheal
    cannula for breathing, these can be deadly and must be removed swiftly, preferably by
    suctioning. Most mucous plugs are either green or white.

Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT):  This is a day long test where a patient is given
    periodic opportunities to snooze while wired up to sleep monitors, such as EEG, EKG,
    pulse oximeter, and more.  It is used to measure daytime sleepiness over the course of
    a day, usually the course of a standard workday.  Like a normal sleep study, it is
    completely noninvasive.

Nasal Cannula:  An oxygen cannula that has two small prongs that go slightly into the nose.
    It is used when nocturnal oxygen is needed.

Nasal Mask:  A mask used for CPAP and BiPAP machines that fits over just the nose.

Nebulizer:  A device that adds humidity and possibly medication to a tracheal cannula.

New Tract:  A surgically made path from the outside into the trachea, which is still new (under
    three weeks old).

Nocturnal:  Having to do with nighttime.

Non-REM Sleep (or NREM):  Sleep that has little or no dream activity and is characterized
    by slow brainwaves.  This normally makes up around 80% of a person’s sleep.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea:  A medical disorder where the airway gets obstructed during sleep
    This is due to relaxation of muscles in the throat area during sleep. Obese people and
    those with throat abnormalities are at risk for this disorder.

Obturator:  An insertion tool used for insertng a Jackson cannula.

OSA:  An acronym that stands for Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Oxygen Concentrator:  A machine that uses oxygen from room air and concentrates it to a nearly
    pure form for nocturnal use or when supplemental oxygen is required.

Oxygen Saturation:  Proportion of oxygen in the arterial blood. This should be at least 90%.
    Young healthy people normally have an oxygen saturation of around 95 –97 percent.

O₂:  Oxygen.

Patency:  Functionality of a cannula.

Patent (adjective):  Functional as intended. This usually refers to cannulas.

Polysomnogram:  A test where a patient sleeps while having his or her EEG, EKG, EMG,
    oxygen saturation, and respiration monitored and recorded.  It is usually noninvasive
    and extremely safe.  The most uncomfortable part is the scrubbing in order to prepare
    areas of the head for EEG and EMG monitoring.

Posterior:  The back part of an object.

PO₂:  Abbreviation for Partial Oxygen in the blood.  A PO2 value less than 60 can be dangerous.

Prone Position:  A body position where a person lies on his or her stomach. It is sometimes
    the best position to use for obstructive sleep apnea.

Pulse Ox:  A slang abbreviation for pulse oximeter.

Pulse Oximeter:  A device for painlessly monitoring oxygen saturation. It normally consists
    of an electronic sensor that goes on a finger and a unit that shows and possibly records
    the oxygen saturation. This device is EXTREMELY safe to use and can be used at home
    if necessary.

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SaO2:  Saturation of oxygen in the arterial blood.

Shiley:  A brand of Jackson cannula.  These are plastic as opposed to metal.  See Jackson
    cannula.

Silicon:  A type of plastic used to make some tracheal cannulas.

Sleep:  A form of rest where awareness of the surroundings is temporarily lost.  Bodily repair
    also normally occurs at this time.  Most adults need about 7-8 hours of this each day or
    night.

Sleep Apnea:  A medical disorder where breathing stops during sleep. It can be quote "central"
    or "obstructive" or even "mixed." Central sleep apnea results from lack of diaphragm move-
    ment during sleep. This can be deadly. Obstructive sleep apnea results from the airway
    getting obstructed, either due to fatty tissue and/or physical abnormalities in the throat.
    In rare and severe cases, it can be fatal.

Sleep Cycle:  A period that includes all the stages of sleep before repeating.  These
    generally last around 45-90 minutes each.

Sleep Hygiene:  Things that improve sleep quality.  These include regular bedtime and
    waking hours, abstinence from alcohol and caffeine, good nutrition, and regular
    exercise (not too close to bedtime).

Sleep Stage:  A phase of sleep that has a set of characteristics.  There are 5 stages in one
    sleep cycle.   Stage 1 is light sleep.  Stage 2 is deeper than stage 1, but is still rather
    light.  Stage 3 is deeper and more restful sleep.  Stage 4 is very deep and restful
    sleep.  Stage 5 or REM sleep is characterized by dream activity and rapid eye
    movement.  Sufferers of sleep apnea spend very little time, if any, in stages 3 and 4,
    but spend a lot of time in stages 1 and 2.

Sleep Study:  An overnight test where a person sleeps while connected to various monitors,
    such as EKG, EEG, EMG, pulse oximeter, and more. These tests are painless (except for
    the scrubbing used during prepping), unless a special "balloon" has to be implanted into
    the throat (rarely done due to the major discomfort).

Slow Wave Sleep:  This refers to quote “stage 3” or “stage 4” sleep.  This is where the
    brainwaves are the slowest and the sleep is most beneficial.  Sufferers of sleep apnea have
    little or no slow wave sleep.  They tend to spend a lot of time in stage 1 or stage 2, which
    is not near as beneficial.

Somnolence:  Sleepiness.

Speaking Cap:  A cap placed on the front of a tracheal cannula. See Cork and Decannulation
    Cap.

Speaking Valve:  A one-way valve that some Jackson cannula users have. It allows air in, but
    not out. It allows some benefit of the cannula, but also facilitates speech.

SpO₂:  Spot oxygen saturation. This is a quick and painless method of obtaining oxygen saturat-
    ion levels, which uses a pulse oximeter.

Stenosis:  A narrowing of a body cavity or in a tube. Many people with a tracheal stenosis re-
    quire a tracheostomy.

Stoma:  A surgically made long-term or permanent hole into the body that is not intended by
    nature.

Supine Position:  A body position where a person is lying flat on his or her back. It is usually
    the worst position for obstructive sleep apnea.

Titration:  A process of regulating pressure(s) on a CPAP or BiPAP machine during a sleep
    study in order to find the minimum force(s) needed to counteract sleep apnea.

Tongue Advancement:  A surgery where the tongue is pulled forward.  This is usually
    done by taking some muscle or fascia fibers and making a “sling” that pulls the
    tongue toward the front of the neck.  This fiber is buried in the tongue and chin,
    and creates a V-shaped groove in the tongue.  It is designed to enlarge the airway.
    However, it shows more promise at reducing snoring as opposed to correcting
    obstructive sleep apnea.

Trach:  A slang word having to do with the trachea or a tracheal cannula. It may be an adjective,
    noun. or even a verb.

Trachea:  Medical term for windpipe.

Tracheal:  Having to do with the windpipe.

Tracheostomy:  A surgery for creating long-term or permanent opening into the trachea.  It is
    sometimes used for severe obstructive sleep apnea when other measures do not work well
    and/or have severe side effects.

Tracheotomy:  An emergency surgical procedure where an opening is made into the trachea.
    These are usually short-term.

Trach Tie:  A string or strap used to hold a Jackson cannula (or any of its variants) in place.

Uvula:  A flap in the throat. This is sometimes the culprit in obstructive sleep apnea.

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP):  A surgery where tissues in the throat are cut away in
    order to alleviate or eliminate sleep apnea.  However, it is not particularly effective.