Patients with the sleep apnea syndrome are being increasingly referred to the otolaryngologist as it becomes clear that obstructive lesions in the nose, nasopharynx, and oropharynx can play a part in the pathogenesis of the syndrome. Correction of the obstructive lesion obviates the need to do a tracheotomy, which has been the conventional treatment for severe cases. In this paper we discuss two cases of obstructive sleep apnea, in whom surgical correction of nasal valve area obstruction was successful in abolishing the symptoms.