Upper Airway Morphofunctional Changes During Oropharyngeal Exercises for Sleep-Disordered Breathing

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Respiratory Medicine
• Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

• Orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) is a recognized treatment for sleep-disordered breathing (SDB).
• The precise morphofunctional mechanisms of OMT exercises on the upper airway (UA) require further elucidation.
• Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for optimizing SDB treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the morphofunctional changes in the upper airway (UA) induced by specific oropharyngeal exercises used in OMT.
• To elucidate the action mechanisms of 13 established OMT exercises on the UA.
• To identify exercises that yield the most significant UA changes for targeted SDB treatment.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 13 selected oropharyngeal exercises based on existing literature.
• Nasofibrolaryngoscopy (NFL) recordings of UA dynamics in 15 healthy adult subjects.
• Video analysis by three blinded ENT specialists assessing structural changes, movement type, and intensity.

Main Results:

• Identification of specific OMT exercises that increase mobility, stiffness, and modify the soft palate, pharyngeal/hypopharyngeal walls, retrolingual region, and epiglottis.
• Detailed insights into the action mechanisms of each analyzed exercise within the UA.
• Determination of the most effective exercises for inducing significant changes in distinct pharyngeal regions.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a detailed understanding of how OMT exercises affect UA morphofunction.
• Findings aid in selecting the most effective OMT exercises for treating SDB.
• This research supports evidence-based clinical decision-making in OMT for SDB.