Three-dimensional computed tomographic airway analysis of patients with obstructive sleep apnea treated by...

To evaluate changes in airway size and shape in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) after maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) and genial tubercle advancement (GTA).

This was a retrospective cohort study, enrolling a sample of adults with polysomnography-confirmed OSA who underwent MMA + GTA. All subjects who had preoperative and postoperative 3-dimensional computed tomography (CT) scans to evaluate changes in airway size and shape after MMA + GTA were included. Preoperative and postoperative sleep- and breathing-related symptoms were recorded. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were computed. For all analyses, P < .05 was considered statistically significant.

During the study period, 13 patients underwent MMA + GTA, of whom 11 (84.6%) met the inclusion criteria. There were 9 men and 2 women with a mean age of 39 years. The mean body mass index was 26.3; mean respiratory disturbance index (RDI), 48.8; and mean lowest oxygen saturation, 80.5%. After MMA + GTA, there were significant increases in lateral and anteroposterior airway diameters (P < .01), volume (P = .02), surface area (P < .01), and cross-sectional areas at multiple sites (P < .04). Airway length decreased (P < .01) and airway shape (P = .04) became more uniform. The mean change in RDI was -60%.

Results of this preliminary study indicate that MMA + GTA appears to produce significant changes in airway size and shape that correlate with a decrease in RDI.