Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 12, 2026
Treatment of Facial Deformities using 3D Planning and Printing of Patient-Specific Implants
Published on: May 23, 2020
Pharyngeal Airway Dilation After Trans-Sutural Distraction Osteogenesis (TSDO) in Adolescent Cleft Lip and Palate
Yun He1,2, Zhongxing Wu1,2
1State Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Background:
Patients with surgically treated cleft lip and palate (CLP) are susceptible to narrowed airways and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). This study investigates the impact of trans-sutural distraction osteogenesis (TSDO) on pharyngeal airway changes in adolescent patients with CLP and midfacial hypoplasia.
Methods:
A total of 32 non-syndromic CLP patients aged 9 to 14 years were included, and 3D cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was used to assess airway volume, cross-sectional area, and diameter before and after TSDO.
Results:
Our findings revealed significant dilation in the nasopharyngeal airway, with the nasopharyngeal volume increasing from 5693.71 ± 2672.68 mm 3 to 8238.95 ± 3124.61 mm 3 ( P <0.05). The upper oropharyngeal airway also exhibited significant sagittal dilation, though no changes were observed in the lower oropharyngeal airway.
Conclusions:
TSDO can significantly dilate the airway, offering a promising approach to improving ventilation and potentially reducing the risk of sleep-disordered breathing in CLP patients.
Level Of Evidence:
Level IV.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Tracheostomy Decannulation
Description of the Procedure
Decannulation refers to the permanent removal of the tracheostomy tube, signaling the resolution of the condition that initially necessitated the tracheostomy. The process requires a well-coordinated interplay between...
01:25Suctioning 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...
01:22Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation II: ACLS Airway Management