Lateral-Expansion Pharyngoplasty: Combined Technique for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

Abstract Introduction Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a multifactorial disease characterized by episodes of partial or complete collapse during sleep of different regions of the upper airway. Surgery for OSAS evolved with the introduction of different techniques, considering new surgical concept of reconstruction of the upper airway. Objective To retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness of a new approach aimed at reducing pharyngeal collapse by combining two surgical techniques: lateral and expansion pharyngoplasty. Methods We reviewed the medical records of 38 patients with OSAS undergoing lateral/expansion pharyngoplasty from January 2012 to December 2016. The following data were collected: patient age, gender, and pre- and postoperative body mass index (BMI), Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) scores, snoring visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, and polysomnography (PSG) results. Results The PSG results showed a significant reduction in the apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) from 22.4 ± 27.3 events/h preoperatively to 13.6 ± 17.9 events/h postoperatively (p = 0.009), with postoperative AHI reduction greater than 50% in 63.2% of the patients. There was also a significant reduction in the microarousal index (19.5 ± 22.6 vs 11.0 ± 13.4 events/h; p = 0.001) and in the minimum oxygen saturation (82.6 ± 10.3 vs 86.9 ± 11.1; p = 0.007). Conclusions Lateral-expansion pharyngoplasty represents a new surgical strategy for the treatment of OSAS in patients with palatal collapse by combining two different techniques: lateral and expansion pharyngoplasty. The two techniques, performed as a one-stage procedure, led to improvements in excessive daytime sleepiness, snoring, and PSG respiratory parameters by acting on lateral and retropalatal collapse, produc- ing favorable results with good applicability in otolaryngology clinical practice.

Auditory function after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty in adult patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome / 中国医师杂志

Objective To investigate the changes of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty on the auditory function in adult patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).The possible mechanism of hypoxemia was analyzed,and hypercapnia might affect auditory function and the effect of operation to hearing was improved.Methods A total of 82 adult patients who were made a diagnosis by polysomnography (PSG) with severe OSAHS had been diagnosed by pure tone audiometry,tympa-nometry,auditory brainstem responses (ABR),and otoacoustic emissions (OAE) before and 6 months after surgical treatments.The control group included 43 non-snoring healthy people through the same line of the above test.Results (1)Among 82 patients who underwent uvulopalatopharyngoplasty,symptoms were resolved in 51 patients,significantly improved in 24 patients,and somewhat improved in7 patients at 6 months followed-up,yielding a total effective rate of 100％.(2)There were no significant differences in hearing threshold across 250 to 4 000 Hz on pure tone audiometry between OSAHS and control groups (P ＞ 0.05),although hearing thresholds at high frequencies showed significant differences (P ＜ 0.05).(3)The latencies of ABR waves Ⅰ and Ⅴ in the OSAHS group were significantly longer than control group (P ＜ 0.05).The interpeak lantency intervals of wave Ⅲ ～ Ⅴ in patients with OSAHS were longer than that in the control group (P ＜ 0.05).No significant difference was showed before and after surgery (P ＞ 0.05).(4)Distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) detection rate and amplitudes at all frequencies were poorer in OSAHS group before surgery compared with the control group (P ＜ 0.05),and significant changes were found after surgical treatments (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions OSAHS can impair auditory function,probably from chronic hypoxia,which can be improved by surgical treatment in adult patients with severe OSAHS.