Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 18, 2026

Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy DISE with Target Controlled Infusion TCI and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Published on: December 6, 2016
Pharyngeal Airway Dimensions and Head Posture in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients with and without Morphological
Liselotte Sonnesen1, Arne Petersson2, Søren Berg3
1Section of Orthodontics, Department of Odontology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDenmark.
Objectives:
The aim of the study was to analyse differences in pharyngeal airway dimensions and head posture between obstructive sleep apnea patients with and without morphological deviations in the upper cervical spine and to analyse associations between pharyngeal airway dimensions and head posture in the total sample.
Material And Methods:
The sample comprised 53 obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients of which 32.1% had upper spine morphological deviations. Accordingly two groups were defined: 17 OSA patients with morphological deviations in the upper spine and 36 without upper spine deviations. Pharyngeal airway dimensions in terms of distances, cross-sectional areas and volume and upper spine morphological deviations were evaluated on cone-beam computed tomography. Head posture was evaluated on two-dimensional generated lateral cephalograms. Differences were analysed and adjusted for age and gender by multiple linear regression analysis.
Results:
OSA patients with upper spine morphological deviations had a significantly more backward and curved neck posture (OPT/HOR, P < 0.01; OPT/CVT, P < 0.05) compared to OSA patients without spine deviations. No significant differences were found in airway dimensions between patients with and without upper spine deviations. In the total group significant associations were found between head posture and pharyngeal airway distances and cross-sectional area at the nasal floor, epiglottis and hyoid bone level (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, P < 0.001). No significant association was found between head posture and airway volume.
Conclusions:
The results may contribute to differentiate obstructive sleep apnea patients and thereby may prove valuable in diagnosis and treatment planning of obstructive sleep apnea patients.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Sleep Apnea
The condition is more prevalent among...
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation II: ACLS Airway Management
Anatomy of Respiratory System I: Upper Respiratory Tract
Nose and nasal cavity
The nose and nasal cavity represent the main external openings of the respiratory tract....
Assessment of Airway, Skin Color, and Use of Accessory Muscles
Introduction
The initial evaluation of a patient's respiratory system...
Suctioning the Oropharyngeal Airway
After assembling the equipment, the nurse should practice hand hygiene and don appropriate PPE according to infection control guidelines to avoid the...
Pharynx
Nasopharynx
The nasopharynx, bordered by the conchae of the nasal cavity, serves exclusively as an air conduit. In its superior region, the pharyngeal tonsils or adenoids are located. These tonsils are clusters of lymphoid reticular tissue akin to a lymph node. The precise...

