Velopharyngeal anatomy in snorers and patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Velopharyngeal structures play an important role in the pathogenesis of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Hence they form a tempting target for surgical interventions in the treatment of these sleep-related breathing disorders. The assessment of the patient with snoring should therefore include a thorough evaluation of the velopharynx. The clinical evaluation of the velopharynx is discussed in normals and patients who snore (with or without OSA), as well as the features obtained using cephalometry and CT and MR imaging.